TITLE: "LIGHTING THE FIRE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "Farscape"

PAIRING: JOHN/AERYN, JOHN/STARK

RATING: PG-13

STATUS: New.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

SERIES/SEQUEL: SEQUEL to "BACK TO THE CRADLE"

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

SUMMARY: "Zhaan gives Aeryn a chance to merge albeit briefly with Crichton. Scorpius
pursues them. Lt Braca feels panic returning."

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

"LIGHTING THE FIRE"
A "Farscape" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL

Aeryn had never seen anything like it. Never had such powerful emotions laid bare for all to see before, even if the *all* in question was simply Zhaan. Simply Zhaan. Now there was the shortest oxymoron in the history of the universe if she did but know it. There was no heat just light and not merely the light of physical illumination. This light was a living energy that touched and carried thoughts, that moved beyond the visions of imagination to a much deeper reality of being. Something that touched heart and soul and spirit. Something that knew no walls. No boundaries. Admitted no subterfuge. Aeryn could no more resist the song of spirit than she could stop breathing. Zhaan was a gentle passive presence but her power, her energy, was unmistakable.

"Why have you brought me here?"

Aeryn was not sure if she had spoken the words or thought them. Or had she merely wished she had thought them? She felt Zhaan's gentle smile envelope her and some of her anxiety eased.

"Your love for John is like my love for Stark except I do not deny he is my heart."

"I don't deny anything either. My feelings are just private, Zhaan."

It was a subtle warning to back off from prying but it might as well have been written in wet sand. Already the gentle incoming tide had disolved the words.

"I know you love John. He knows you love him. But you keep pushing him away. Running, hiding, lying to your heart about the reasons. Here those insecurities have no foothold. Not even in your dreams."

Aeryn felt annoyed. It clouded the pure beautiful glow of light that was Zhaan. Like a shadow tainting the sun. Zhaan simply burned brighter. The shadow consumed by light. "I did not come here for me or you. Not even for Stark. I came here for John."

"Yes, my child, and you shall see him."

"See him? Here? How?"

Zhaan smiled gently at her confusion. "When John and I shared Unity I left a small piece of myself with him, and he left a small piece of himself with me."

A cold wind touched Aeryn's heart. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing. Everything. See, Aeryn."

Aeryn would have resisted but the energy flowing through her had changed subtly. She found herself equating it with Crichton for some bartantic reason. Frell Zhaan. She was manipulating her thoughts. That was the only answer that made sense. Then she felt him. His presence so strong, so real, so vibrant, so full of gentle affection, a love without limits. She felt him reach out for her, heart to heart, was washed in the complete essence of him. Her heart opened up to him and he entered in, the blaze of sweetness that bound them was almost a bright burning pain so intense was their mutual desire for each other. Tears pricked her eyes. He formed in light to dry them for her. His words the merest whisper of her soul seeking to reassure and calm her.

*I have to do this, Aeryn*

She did not realise she was crying uncontrollably now. Loving him so much yet fearing for him too. "Why? Why does it always have to be you?"

A phantom hand touched her, his smile almost broke her heart. He seemed to inhale her essence and become a little more substantial for doing so. As if her presence gave him strength. *You know why, Aeryn. I owe Stark. He is my friend and I love him*

That surprised her. "Love him?"

His voice became so gentle, so loving, so beautifully giving and tender. *Don't you realise Aeryn, I love you all? You are my friends. My family. But you are more. You are my heart. Which is why I ask you to trust me, Aeryn*

"I don't understand any of this. It reminds me of Maldiss."

She felt his chuckle ripple through her and longed to reach out and hold him, to stop this ludicrous rescue attempt before it took from her the one thing. The one being that mattered most to her. He knew. His soft kiss devoured the ache in her heart. He was so beautiful. She loved him so much.

*This is nothing like Maldiss, Aeryn. Maldiss was evil. Manipulating us for his own ends*

"Then what do you call this?"

*Truth. Revelation. You know I sure as hezmana would never hurt you*

She found herself nodding. "Why is a piece of you inside Zhaan?" She all but shouted.

His laughter was gentle but not mocking. Phantom hands cradling her face as he covered her in kisses. Understanding it stemmed from jealousy not hate. *Aeryn, on my home planet there was a French man referred by some as the father of fingerprinting and he had a saying which became known as Locard's Principle. That principle was that 'every contact leaves a trace'. When I shared Unity with Zhaan that contact left a trace*

How did this human understand her so well? Where did his wisdom, his insight come from? She realised with a little jolt that it had always been there. He had always been smarter than they supposed. She had called him a deficient little human. Derogatory terms levelled at him time and again as if to keep him in his place. Securing her own position at his own expense. The very idea that she could or should do that to him was a foreign concept now. A blind conceit all of them had dropped except when they wanted to needle him or affectionately mock him. How quickly he had become indispensible to them. Even if they were loathe to admit as much. Yet Zhaan had always known. How had she done that? He heard her thought and brushed her hair through his fingers, enjoying the feel and scent of it. His joy touched her and made her heart glad. Such a small thing to give him.

*Zhaan is not like us, Aeryn. She is much more spiritual. More attuned. It is part of her gift*

"Her gift?"

*Yeah and she means a lot to me. It's time Aeryn that I showed you why*

Aeryn was about to protest but Crichton did not wait. He flooded her with memories. *His* memories but with the emotions attached. His viewpoint. His thoughts throwing those feelings into sharp relief. Conversations replayed for Aeryn. A record perfectly reproduced for her to witness. For understanding to dawn as she saw through his eyes, felt with his heart, knew with his mind. The certainty that coalesced with the revelation grounded her. Helped the jealously to dissipate so that she could see more clearly.

"I feel so foolish." She sniffed.

He tilted her dipped head, his lips brushing hers until she angled her face towards him. He smiled and dazzled her with joy and with love. How could she ever doubt him?

*It's alright, Aeryn. We can do this if we do it together*

It occurred to her to wonder why she could not feel Zhaan's presence. Crichton smiled and swept her up in the bow of his beautiful lips. His love the only anchor she needed if she did but know it. "What happened to Zhaan?"

*Zhaan is still here, Sunshine. If she wasn't we couldn't do this*

"Do what?"

*Merge*

That surprised her. "Merge? Is that what this is?"

He chuckled, his lips caressing her face, his mouth kissing her ear. She shivered with delight at his touch. His nearness. The way she could not get enough of him.

"This feels so real."

*It is real, Aeryn. Just because it's not sticks and stones doesn't make it less real.*

"What?"

She could feel him smile against her cheek. *Just because it isn't physical doesn't mean it isn't there. I wish I had the words to explain it all to you, Aeryn. The closest I can get is to say it's like having an orgasm in your mind. In a way it's better than sex but when you flow inside each other's minds and thoughts and feelings like this it gets so intense the only imagery I can use is the imagery of love*

"The imagery of love." She murmured. A thought occurred to her. "So when I feel you touch my hair," He echoed the thought so she felt his fingers card the luxurious dark strands. "Kiss my lips," He duplicated the action almost derailing her train of thought with the intensity of the sensations aroused in her. "All this is an illusion?"

*Hey baby, it's all illusion. Everything but the love. That alone is real, Aeryn*

She found herself lost in him. Aware only of his presence, everything else banished to the periphery. The nature of reality no longer meant what it had once done to her. Would that all change when she opened her eyes and Zhaan's revelation of John ended? Would it even matter?

* * * * *

Ka D'Argo watched the screen carefully as they emerged from Star Burst. Chiana was nervous. Wondering what they hoped to accomplish. Rygel felt the hunger pangs starting again and knew it was nerves. He resisted the urge to go and get something to eat. Needing to know just what dren they had landed themselves in this time. What he saw as they emerged from Star Burst made his mouth drop open in surprise. Each of them had a different reaction to the bright glowing cloud of light shimmering and twinkling like an invitation before them. D'Argo's face looked awed. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?"

The Nebari jerked her head slowly first one way then another as if the change in angle was directly proportionate to making sense of what she was seeing. She recognised it at once. "Hey, this is what's left of Stark's homeworld."

Rygel snorted, not impressed. If anything he was more worried now than he had been before though he tried to hide it. "Impossible! That was monens ago. The debris would have drifted and dispersed. This is doing neither."

"Then what is it?" Asked D'Argo.

Rygel looked wary. "I don't know and I don't care. We should get out of here this microt!"

D'Argo turned to level a stare at him. "This is where Zhaan said to come and this is where we are staying."

"Since when does a Luxan warrior take orders from a light seeking plant?" Sneered Rygel.

Before he could move D'Argo's right hand shot out and grabbed the little Dominar by the throat, dragging him and his thronesled close to the Luxan's face. "You wish to say something, your lowness?"

Rygel tried to shake his head, his eyes bulging. Genuine fear in his eyes. "No, here is fine." He managed to splutter.

"A good answer." D'Argo growled darkly before letting Rygel go.

Chiana tilted her head at them. "What do we do now?"

"Now," Said D'Argo calmly. "We wait for Zhaan."

* * * * *

Crichton had been sleeping. In a coma almost. The DRDs played the perfect hosts, watching over him and monitoring his life signs as he drifted. After merging with Stark he was content to simply rest in him. Minds journeying within each other as if they were not two separate beings. It was the shiver of heightening electricity that almost woke him. So strong it was like an electric shock. The DRDs stirred in mild agitation around him, his arms and legs twitching slightly. His lips moving but not speaking. Blue hovered anxiously by his face, waving his good lightstalk down at him to reassure himself that the human was not in pain.

<Stark, what's going on, buddy?>

Stark did not seem agitated as such but definitely distracted. He was becoming distant. *I can't believe they would bring us here*

<Who? Where?> When he got no response Crichton stretched his senses, alarmed not to feel an automatic response. The short period of time he had carried the bulk of Stark's essence he had quickly acclimatised to his presence. Took joy and comfort from it. Now that it was withdrawing from him the feeling of isolation struck an unreasoning fear in him. <Stark? What the hezmana is happening?>

The response drifted back like an echo. Getting more and more distant. *Home*

<Home?> Crichton was puzzled. He knew that Stark's home had been destroyed. Millions of Baniks had died. A world vaporised into interstellar dust.

Suddenly he was violently jolted. All connection with Stark vanished. He rolled over as Moya pitched and yawed, her biomechanoid hull shuddering at the impact. Sluggishly Crichton realised something had hit them. He tried to wake up. Where the hell was he? Another shuddering impact, this time he was tossed in the other direction, the DRDs trying to scatter out of his way but not all of them making it in time. The painful landing was enough this time to rouse him. Groggy but conscious he opened his eyes, took in the dim interior of the aortic chamber. Blue beeped and clicked at him, somehow managing to sound concerned not just about Moya but also him. Carefully he sat up and patted the DRD he had all but crushed in his fall. It beeped back at him and rolled to a safer distance. Crichton still insisted on checking him over to make sure there was no damage.

<Stark? Are you there?>

Nothing. Silence. Then the faintest echo. *You are in danger, John*

He frowned. <Danger? How?>

There was a time lag before the answer reached him, as if Stark was moving further and further away. *Scorpius*

His heart almost stopped. <Scorpius?>

The third shudder was stronger even than the first two. That decided it. Crichton's head was still muzzy and his movements were a little off but other than that he felt fine. He activated his com. "Hey, Pilot, what's happening up there?"

Pilot's surprised voice floated back to him, anxiety evident. "Commander Crichton! You should be resting."

"Frell *resting*, what's happening? Are we being *fired* on?"

Pilot could not lie. "Yes. It seems the Peace Keeper Command Carrier followed Moya into Star Burst."

"Woah, wait. Did you say Star Burst? Why did we Star Burst?"

Another blast hit them. "Forget it Pilot, I'm on my way!"

There was no mistaking the anxiety in Pilot's voice now. "No Commander, you must stay where it is safe."

But Crichton was not listening. He crawled out of the aortic chamber, a little army of anxious DRDs trailing him as he staggered down the corridor shaking his head. He tried to reach Stark again but the mental link had either broken or Stark was no longer with him. He could not even begin to imagine how the latter could have happened and if it had, what did that mean for Stark? Was he safe or was he lost? He needed to find out what was going on. How bad their situation was. Then he needed to talk to Zhaan.

* * * * *

Lt Braca was pale, slightly disorientated, but the mask was insistent. He sat up. Could feel the tremor through the deck plates as the Command Carrier fired. He did not need to ask the mask who they were firing on. The mask needed him. <They will stop me>

Light swirled from the other side of the mask, leaking into him with rays of warmth that touched the cold dark place his heart had become. A spark of something so close to utter joy brought a tear to his eye. Beautiful. He wished it could be his. He swallowed and nodded to himself. Knowing he would do what must be done but trusting the mask to find a way to protect him.

Scorpius was on command. The Captain turned towards him, her expression as blank as she could make it. The less feeling she showed, the more Scorpius liked it. "We have disabled her engines, sir."

Scorpius smiled. "Good. It is time we sent another message."

He stood and opened a channel to the leviathan. "Crew of Moya. You know what I want. You have two arns to deliver John Crichton to me or I will destroy the leviathan and everyone on board."

The screen showed the face of a furious Luxan. An angry tirade in Luxan insults sang through the com. Scorpius waited for the Luxan to pause. "Do you speak for the crew of Moya, Ka D'Argo, that you so easily would sign their death warrants?"

At that microt there was some commotion and D'Argo's image was replaced by Crichton. The half-breed grinned with genuine pleasure. "Ah John, so good to see you."

"Pity I can't return the compliment, Scorpy. We have *got* to stop meeting like this. I already told you my dance card is full."

"John. You will return to me voluntarily or I will destroy Moya."

"Yeah, I heard. You can't do that Scorpy."

A deadly cold dripped through every word. "Oh but I can."

In the background Scorpius could hear the others quarrelling, trying to pull Crichton away from the screen.

"How do I know you'll let the others go if I do this?"

"You don't but you are the only one I want. Once you return to my Command Carrier I will no longer have any need to pursue the others. Your choice. You have one and three quarter arns left. I suggest you use the time to say *goodbye*."

Scorpius shut off the link and gave a smug smile knowing the outcome was assured. Soon he would have John Crichton back in his grasp.

* * * * *
END