TITLE: "DIVERGENCE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "Farscape"

PAIRING: No specific pairing

RATING: PG-13

STATUS: New.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

SERIES/SEQUEL: SEQUEL to "THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE"

WEBSITE: http://www.carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "The crew of Moya come to a decision. After some soul searching so does Crichton."

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


"DIVERGENCE"
A "Farscape" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL
* * * * *

The star cluster was reached within two and a half Star Bursts. D'Argo watched Chiana's face intently. Aeryn was checking the readouts as they reached their destination. "Are you sure this is it, Chiana?"

The Nebari nodded, suddenly exhibiting signs of nervousness. "Yeah Aeryn, this is the place."

"You seem nervous." Said D'Argo carefully.

She looked at him then, eyes wide and posture defensive. A sure sign that she was frightened. "Yeah, well, when you've been mind clensed D'Argo see how eager you are to return to Nebari occupied space."

He stepped back and inclined his head in apology. "If you say this is the right place Chiana, it is the right place."

Aeryn was scrolling through the starcharts. "Chiana, can you be more specific as to which planet you want us to take you to?"

Chiana shook her head slowly. "No. No, Aeryn this is fine."

Everybody looked at her. Rygel was more than a little suspicious. "How is this fine? You are asking us to drop you in the middle of nowhere!"

Her hackles rose. "Yeah well maybe I like nowhere, did you ever think of that?"

"Chiana," Said D'Argo. "Why here?"

"Because this is where I said I'd come if I could. This is where Nerri would expect me to turn up. Not at a planet, not orbiting a dwarf star, but right here."

They looked at each other. Jool thought Chiana had lost it but for once was not very vocal. She was the last one to join Moya's dysfunctional crew but it gave her no pleasure to watch them all go their separate ways. It was as if the only thing holding them all together had been Crichton. But that of course was ridiculous. Wasn't it?

Aeryn asked Pilot to keep this position and looked at Chiana. "Okay Chiana, this is your call. How long do you want us to stay here?"

"I don't. No need."

D'Argo raised his eyebrows. "You've changed your mind?"

"No. Just drop me off in an escape pod. I'll be fine."

"We are *not* abandoning you in the middle of frelling nowhere, Chiana!" Yelled D'Argo.

"Look, if you stay here they won't come!" She yelled back.

"Who?" Asked Rygel.

"The resistance."

Aeryn looked at her doubtfully. At times she still could not tell when the little tralk was telling the truth. Was that really the plan for meeting Nerri or was this her way of committing suicide? She had always been close to Crichton. Had the events of the last monen finally pushed her over the edge? Why did she care anyway?

Chiana looked at them all slowly. "Look, I know it sounds kinda strange but you have to believe me. I don't want to die and that is not what this is about. I want to see my brother and this is the only way I can do it. So are you gonna help me or did we come all this way for nothing?"

They exchanged glances. Aeryn made up her mind. "Okay Chiana, you better be right because you will only have a few arns of oxygen in the escape pod. I suggest you put on an EVA suit before you get in, that'll give you almost fourteen arns of oxygen. Or do you think you'll need more?"

Chiana blinked. Surprised by Aeryn's sudden willingness to help. "Yeah, that should be fine. Thanks Aeryn."

Aeryn nodded and watched Chiana hesitate. This was it and they all knew it. Not so long. Not see you soon. This was goodbye. Win, lose or draw it was unlikely any of them would ever come this way again. She walked over to Rygel. "I hope you get your throne back, you know? Try not to snurch anything bigger than you can fit in your mouth, Toad."

He grinned at her but there was a suspicious amount of moisture in his eyes. "Same goes for you, Chiana. Despite all the trouble you've caused I'll miss you."

"Me? Cause trouble? Nah. Must have been some other Nebari tralk."

He chuckled and she bent down to give him a kiss. One by one she said goodbye to them all. Even managed to be civil to Aeryn. D'Argo offered to go to the pod with her. In the end they all went to see her off. A strange sadness pervading the living ship. Chiana had already said her goodbyes to Pilot and Moya but it was still a wrench to finally leave. So many memories. She almost broke into tears when she saw Crichton's module. He loved that piece of trat more than anything apart from Aeryn. No one had the heart to jettison it now that he was dead. Like a monument to friendship it sat in the transport bay and reminded them of all the times they had shared. Good and bad. All were treasured now. Subdued, Chiana put on the EVA suit and climbed in the pod. Microts later D'Argo released it. Even though it was slowly spinning Chiana almost fancied she could see the faces of her friends pressed up against the viewports on Moya's hamman side. But it was hard to see anything through the tears in her eyes.

* * * * *

Crichton took a microt to take in what Hemnoth had said. "I um I um need to have a private word with Bish, Hemnoth."

It took her a microt or two to release he wanted her to go out of earshot. A strange request for clans but he was an offworlder so she acquiessed to his request. He waited until he was sure they would not be overheard. Bish was the closest thing he had to a friend on this planet. He looked at the boy for several microts, noticing that Bish did not look happy. "Can she *do* that?"

"Wage war? Yes, John. It is rare but it has happened before."

"You know this whole thing is bizarre, Bish."

"Bizarre?"

"Odd, strange. Bartantic. Tinked."

He began to smile at the range of words rolling off the human's tongue. Seeing him smile, Crichton found himself smiling back. He really liked Bish and he *had* saved his life. "So what should I do?"

"They are desperate."

"I know Bish but it's not my fault. I feel like bloodstock."

He frowned. "Bloodstock?"

"Yeah. An animal kept for breeding purposes. No life outside of the stud farm that kind of thing."

"There are worse ways to live, John."

"Or die."

They exchanged a look that needed no interpretation. Crichton swallowed. Knew he would have to make a decision soon. The amazon hordes would not wait forever. "Do you think I should do this? Go with them?"

Bish would not meet his eyes. "It is your decision, John."

"Bullshit!"

The anger in the human's voice made Bish look up, startled.

"That is crap Bish and you know it. You said you would protect me. You also said that because you had saved my life you could allow no harm to come to me. I *belonged* to you so was that all lies?"

"No, John."

"Then what's with this bullshit? You can protect me but not advise me what's best for me to do?"

"Yes."

"Why can't you advise me, as a friend?"

"Because we swear oaths of allegiance to each other."

"And?"

"You and I never have."

"So if we swore allegiance to each other you'd be able to advise me of the best thing to do?"

"Yes."

He thought about that. "What would that entail?"

Bish shook his head. Knew what he was thinking. "It is too late for that path now."

"Why?"

"We would have to exhange blood and trials. It is a very serious step for a warrior to take. You would also never be able to leave."

"Never?"

"Never."

He fell silent. Well that closed that door. What's behind the green door, Monty? "Let me get this straight Bish. This is my decision. I can say no and walk away but if I do they attack your clan. Kill your people. You protect yourselves by killing them. Do I have that about right?"

Bish nodded. Miserable.

"I don't understand, Bish. How can wiping each other out in a war solve the problem of falling births within the clans?"

"I told you they were desperate."

"This is their way of forcing me to do what they want?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"What about that offer Hemnoth made about letting me go if I agree to go and live among them for a while? Was that real? Would she keep her word?"

"Yes, John, it is real. She will honour her word."

"Okay," He said slowly. "So how long would I have to stay before I could leave?"

"That is up to Hemnoth."

"Hemnoth? No way can that be fair."

"It is fair John. The alternative is to never leave except through death."

"Then you guys eat me?"

"Yes. It is the greatest honour we can give you."

He could not believe his ears. "Honour?"

"Yes. We only eat of the flesh and drink of the blood of our clan. That way all that they are, all that they could ever be stays within the clan. Is honoured in our memories, our genes, our daily lives. Their rebirth within the clan is then assured. This is the only time we will touch meat or drink blood."

"So that's why you stick to the fruits of the forest and the vegetables?"

He nodded. "It is our most sacred law."

Bish nudged Crichton, he could see Hemnoth walking back towards them. Behind her the women of the clan were gathered. "You have to make your decision now John."

He nodded and steeled himself. When Hemnoth reached them he bowed slightly to her. "I will agree to go with you willingly if you will not wage war. I will also hold you to your promise to let me go after I have lived among you for a while."

The dour look on Hemnoth's face vanished and joy lit up her eyes. She turned to the women and raised both hands. They smiled and bowed but came no closer. Hemnoth kissed Crichton on the lips to seal their bond. "You are mine now until I release you or you join with our ancestors. I will make you happy and your days among us will be filled with joy. We will care for you and we will love you." She turned to Bishyin and bowed to him. "I thank you for your courtesy, Bishyin, and promise we will care for him."

Bishyin nodded back but he was not smiling. "If you harm him Hemnoth there will be war."

Her smile faded and Crichton thought he saw something that looked suspiciously like respect in her eyes. Under the dappled light filtering through the huge panapa leaves it was hard to be sure. "You have my word and my promise, Bishyin. We will honour him as we would honour you."

Bishyin clasped both of Crichton's hands in his and looked up at him. "If the Gods allow we will see each other again, my friend."

"You take care too, Bish, and thanks for saving my life."

"Thank you for saving mine."

Then Bish let him go, turned and walked away from the waterhole and back on the path to rejoin the rest of his clan in the trees. He did not look back. Crichton felt sad, missing him already but Hemnoth did not want him to be full of sorrow. She led him back to her clan and they trudged the long paths back to the camp of the women. It took almost six arns to walk there and by the time they reached the camp he was too tired to care where they were. A couple of women kept guard, each armed with what looked like miniature crossbow contraptions strapped to their wrists. He narrowed his eyes and tried to take in as many details as possible. First she introduced him to all the clan members. He recognised Margenna but the others he only knew from glimpses and some he could not recall seeing at all. Now they all came to look at him, to touch his hands and gaze at his face, to familiarise themselves with his scent and accept him into their clan. The introductions over, they sat on the floor to a modest feast of fruit. He saw no vegetables this time but recognised many of the things he had been given to eat at the feast.

He waited and watched to see whether he should help himself. Hemnoth smiled at him, kept touching him fleetingly as she spoke. Realised her touch was intended to reassure. Her voice lilting and musical in his ear as she told him about their customs. After a while he found her touch oddly soothing. She tasted all the fruit and only after she had savoured a piece did she offer it to him to eat. Every piece placed in his mouth by her hand. He had this sudden flash back to the middle ages when the Kings and Queens employed food tasters to make sure what they ate had not been poisoned. He smiled at his own fanciful thoughts. Hemnoth, seeing him smile, felt a wash of pleasure and a rush of desire. Yes. She wanted this one. Very much. The others were talking quietly among themselves, the whole feel of the camp was relaxed. Happy. He felt a sense of contentment and was not sure if that was because he was tired and now seated next to a beautiful woman with a fire before him and being fed the most exotic foods, or if he was being drugged into compliance. He could not tell, and as Hemnoth became more demanding he found he no longer cared.

* * * * *

D'Argo shook his head. "No, I say Rygel should go next."

The Dominar gave him a stern look. "Why? What are you up to?"

The Luxan felt his anger slipping. "I am *not* up to anything, slug. As you know I have my own ship now, I am not reliant on Moya to take me anywhere. You, on the other hand, need to find allies. A ship. Resources."

He nodded. Everything D'Argo said was true. It was just that now it came to it he felt nervous. Moya had become his home and these odd beings had become like family to him. Aeryn picked up on his reluctance. "Look, you don't have to make up your mind right now if you don't want to."

"Thank you Aeryn but we both know some things cannot be put off and it seems the time to move on is now."

She nodded, unable to say anything to that. Jool left them to go and get something to eat. Oddly enough the Dominar did not feel like eating. Now that he was thinking about going home he had a lot of things to consider. "Pilot?"

"Yes, Rygel?"

"Please ask Moya to plot a course for the nearest commerce planet."

He looked at the others. "You can drop me off there. With the funds I now have I should be able to buy a decent ship and hire the help I need."

"Mercenaries." Growled D'Argo softly.

"Call them what you will as I haven't got an army of Luxan warriors to take with me I will have to be content with what I can find."

Pilot's voice floated over the com. "We will be approaching a commerce planet within three arns. It is in an industrial arm of the Negab Sector. You should find what you require here, Dominar."

"Thank you, Pilot. My thanks to you and Moya."

"Good luck, Rygel." Said Aeryn. Surprised to find that she actually meant it.

"I hope you kick that cousin's eema to hezmana, Rygel. I think you will make a very good Dominar."

Rygel nodded and said nothing. Emotion robbing him of the right words. When he could speak he excused himself. "I must get my things ready. Good luck to all of you."

They watched him go then Aeryn looked at D'Argo. "When do you expect to take your leave of us?"

"Soon, Aeryn. I have asked Pilot to do some research for me on Peace Keeper movements."

"D'Argo, going after Macton may not be such a good idea."

"He will not get away with what he has done, Aeryn. And I cannot live if I let him."

She nodded and watched him go. Alone in command she stared out of the viewport. They were all breaking up now. Going their separate ways. Where was there left for her to go? Certainly not back to the life she had once led before Crichton. What was it the human had once said to her? *You pick the planet* If only he were still here. It would be so easy now for her to say *yes*.

* * * * *
END