Reparation -- Chapter 1: Bloodhound Sport

          Scorpius dandled the child on his knees, delighting in his trilling laughter. He didn't fear the Scarran-Sebacean half-breed as others did. He'd spent time with him since his birth, even looked upon him as a father figure. This filled Scorpius with pride and other emotions he could hardly name, much less define.
          The boy was tall for his age of four cycles. His face was thin, golden and dominated by enormous dark eyes. His hair was a riot of black curls almost to his shoulders. They jiggled wildly as he threw his head back in laughter. Scorpius produced a small sweet, seemingly out of thin air, and the youngster lunged for it greedily. He relented, giving the candy to the boy and smiled at his obvious enjoyment.
          "More, more!" the boy exclaimed as he grabbed at Scorpius' gloved hands.
          "I'm afraid that is all I have." He said, noting the child's defeated sigh. "I will bring more tomorrow."
          "Promise?" the boy asked, his head cocked to the side, tiny brow knitted.
          "Promise," said Scorpius tweaking the youngster's nose, which caused the boy to emit peels of laughter again.
         "Please!" the cold voice of a woman barked from the shadows across the room. "Take that little trog back to the creche."
          Scorpius looked at her, clicking his tongue in disapproval, before handing the child over to his keeper. The boy gaped wide-eyed at the woman then waved briefly at Scorpius before being taken from the room.
          He crossed his spindly legs and arms, watching as the woman paced like a caged animal at a large observation window. She was nothing more than a tall, elegant silhouette against those stars. The frosty starlight flooding into the room cast interesting shadows on the red, white and black carpet beneath her feet, but she seemed oblivious. He knew she was colder by far than the space outside the ship.
          She showed nothing but contempt the boy, her only child. Pity. The boy was truly a good-natured and delightful opposite of the treacherous creatures that spawned him. Astonishing, Scorpius mused with a cheerless smile.
          "Really, you'll wear yourself out with such worry," he purred.
          The woman spared him a disdainful look but said nothing.
          "Trust me," He assured her sweetly. "The agent I have selected for you is perfect."
          "Not if he is a frelling simpleton yes man like your Braca," she sneered angrily.
          The lieutenant's eyes stared coldly at her from his vantage point by the door. An expression of pure hatred flitted briefly across his smooth face. Scorpius turned a smile upon Braca and laughed noiselessly before returning his attention to the woman.
          "Quite to the contrary, my dear." He smiled. "I believe you will find Lt. Atsutane most assuredly not a. . .yes man."
          "Another covert ops thoddo? Blades flashing from his wrists and all that nonsense," she countered.
          "He doesn't need such devices to accomplish his directives," Scorpius replied forcing an amused smile. She could be a singularly sharp pain in the eema.
          "What does he use then?" She queried turning her back to him again. "His charm and good looks."
          "When they're called for," a smooth voice replied.
          Neither Scorpius nor the woman heard Tamarack Atsutane enter the chamber. Braca, who had never left his place by the door, seemed startled beyond belief. His eyes bulged as Atsutane simply strode unmolested into the center of the room. He moved to stop the man, but Scorpius casually waved him away.
          Scorpius rose, extending a hand to the new arrival, taking in his spare form and pale face.
          "Lt. Atsutane, welcome." Scorpius said with a polite bow. "We've been keenly awaiting your arrival."
          Atsutane cocked a chilly eyebrow at the Scarran half-breed. "I don't often hear that type of sentiment."
          Scorpius laughed jovially, "I'm quite certain you do not. You are one to dread if reputation is any indication."
          The newcomer tilted his head courteously toward Scorpius then turned his attention to the woman still standing in shadow. Her eyes were on him, scrutinizing, calculating. Scorpius knew she was trying to decide if he was worthy.
          "Tell me exactly why you are the man for the position." She said flatly, still attempting to use the darkness to her advantage.
          She miscalculated, Scorpius thought to himself. Atsutane could see perfectly well and obviously recognized the woman immediately. Everyone knew how she'd come by her astonishing promotion. However, as her patron, Scorpius made those who questioned it sorely regretful. It was the only reason she was still alive. Birth and station could only carry one so far even in Peacekeeper ranks.
          "My. . .talents. . .aren't readily explained in words," Atsutane said levelly.
          "You forgot to mention his enormous modesty, Scorpius." She observed scathingly.
          "Patience, my dear. Patience." He smiled at her patronizingly, revealing his menacing, discolored teeth. She was trying his own extraordinary patience today.
          "I was ordered here because you require the best tracker in our services." Atsutane said coolly.           "Either you need me or you do not. If you do, pray put me to my task. If not, I will be returning to my home base immediately."
          "Impertinent," the woman rasped coming out of the shadows at last. "I have killed far more powerful men for much less."
          Atsutane displayed his first emotions by laughing dismissively at her comment. She strode across the distance between them to strike him. Scorpius considered stopping her, but decided to let her discover her own mistake. Before she could raise her hand to Atsutane, she was being twisted at right angles to her spine and crying out in pain. His movements were nearly imperceptible and seemingly effortless.
          "I do not allow assaults on my person." He said as he looked down on her crumpled form, face expressionless. "That aside, shall I have my instructions now or prepare to return home?"
          "Scorpius!" the woman snarled as she picked herself up from the carpet.
          "You needed an explanation of why he's the man for the job," he frowned at her harshly. "He gave it to you."
          The woman and Scorpius locked eyes for several long, uncomfortable microts. What passed silently between them could not have been less pleasant. Finally she straightened her uniform, slowly and with great dignity, before returning to stand before the observation window.
          "Ah, very good." Scorpius exulted. "With that settled, your assignment is this: track and locate the traitor and renegade Bialar Crais."
          "He is not to be harmed," the woman interjected, words forced between clenched teeth as she turned dark eyes on Atsutane. "Not under any circumstances. Additionally. . .he should never know he is being shadowed, understood?"
          Atsutane spared her a raised eyebrow.
          "You are to report back to me all information you obtain, no matter how seemingly insignificant. I will be the judge of what information is useful." She continued. "Use any means necessary to this end. . .with the single exception of harming him."
          "Very well," the man acknowledged stonily.
          "Even you will not be able to hide from my wrath if harm comes to him. Do you understand?" She cautioned, her tone hinting at murderous acts.
          "I understand perfectly, Magistrate."






          John Crichton was lost.
          This had to be the largest commerce planet they'd happened on in their journey through the Uncharted Territories. He figured if the Mall of the Americas and a Rubik's cube the size of Dallas had a love child, this marketplace would be it. Just when he thought he'd found his way back to the transport pod, he would turn into a dead end alley or yet another food court.
          "Frell me," he muttered to himself as he realized he'd taken his hundredth wrong turn.
          "No thanks," Aeryn said into his ear as he backed into her.
          "I've been looking for you guys everywhere," Crichton complained as he followed her. "Where the frell is everybody?"
          "Rygel found a casino with an unlimited buffet," she told him stopping to look through a display of blade weapons. "Zhaan is looking for a supply of jixit root."
          "Chi and Heavy D?" Crichton asked back peddling as Aeryn tested the weight of a particularly vicious looking blade by swinging it in his direction.
          "Probably endeavoring to find someplace they haven't already frelled in," she replied as she put the blade down and continued to walk further down the thoroughfare.
          Crichton chuckled at that thought and followed Aeryn closely. He didn't want to get lost again. She stopped at another weapons kiosk to examine the wares. The vendor eyed them both suspiciously. Crichton could almost read the creature's thoughts:Peacekeepers. Even though they both wore nondescript, long leather coats, the boots and pulse pistols couldn't be mistaken.
          "Hey," he nudged her gently. "Let's cruise on over there."
          She followed the direction of his outstretched hand then looked into his face with amusement. He motioned with his eyes to the kiosk vendor. Seeing the acrimonious glare on the creature's face seemed to tell her everything she needed to know. She took Crichton's hand, pulling him along in the direction of the food courts.
          When they were well out of hearing of the weapon vendors, Aeryn stopped. Crichton noticed that she now wore her Peacekeeper face. Something was up. He followed her into a more secluded corner.
          "They think we're Peacekeepers." He whispered, his face close to hers.
          "We'd be better off if that's what they thought," she replied checking the oil cartridge in her pistol.
          "What d'ya mean?" Crichton asked looking around, his entire body tensing.
          "We're being followed." She told him simply.
          "We haven't seen a single wanted beacon," Crichton said tightly, "Pilot says the planet's clean."
          "All, the same," Aeryn insisted looking around.
          "Now what? Scorpy's sent out the Four Horsemen of the frelling Apocalypse?" Crichton scoffed then shouted: "Right on. Judge me now!"
          Aeryn jabbed him hard in the solar plexus and pulled him out of the main thoroughfare.
          "Shut up!" she hissed between clinched teeth.
          "You've seen them?" he asked under his breath, blue eyes now looking around sharply.
          "No," she said. "I don't need to."
          "Come on, baby," he tried to sound casual, but his voice couldn't suppress his dread. "How can you know. . ."
         "John, don't ask what you already know," she reproached him, her eyes scanning the swirling pandemonium of the marketplace.
          He looked at her, shaking his head imperceptibly in acquiescence. "For real? Scorpius' people?"
          "This is something far worse." She whispered as a group of shoppers came closer to their hiding place.
          "Worse?" he laughed uncomfortably. "There's something worse?"
          "John Crichton. How long have you been in this part of the universe?" Aeryn asked hotly. "Do you still need to ask such a question?"
         "Define worse then." He said biting his lower lip.
         "Special Ops, maybe." She explained. "Maybe a tracker."
         "Like Jena?" he asked contritely.
        "She's an amateur compared to a tracker." She replied tightly.
        "We'd better find the others and get the frell out of this system." He said, but she was already ahead of him.
        "Zhaan," she said into her comm.
        "Yes, Aeryn," the Delvian's silky voice replied a microt later.
        "We need to get everyone back to the ship." Aeryn replied without elaborating.
          Crichton hoped the Delvian would sense enough from her tone of voice to know there was trouble.
          "That may prove problematic." Zhaan came back calmly. "I haven't seen the others since we parted company this morning."
          "Well, it's got to be done, darlin'" Crichton said into Aeryn's comm. "We'll be waiting for you. Find the others. Drag them back to the ship anyway you can."




          "Hey, D'Argo," Chiana called to the Luxan from in front of an herbalist shop. "Come take a look at this."
          "Chiana, forgive my absolute disinterest." He rumbled to her as he took in the wide variety of vials, bottles and jars with a sneer. "I shall leave the potions and lotions to Zhaan."
          "But D'Argo, this shop specializes in aphrodisiac potions," she purred as she delicately stroked one of his tenkas.
          He cast a skeptical look down at her but was rapidly becoming distracted by her tender ministrations. Her huge black eyes teased and made erotic promises as she rubbed herself against him.
           "Come on, it can't hurt to try one." She said seductively. "The shopkeeper says they're perfectly safe for both Luxans and Nebari."
          "I am not certain we need such potions," he said huskily with growing arousal.
          "It's supposed to make sex even better," she whispered with a giggle.
          "Oh, very well," D'Argo relented. "But only one."
          "We only need one," Chiana told him in a low sultry tone.
          She slipped away from him for a moment, hips swaying dangerously, back inside the shop. She had apparently already picked out the potion she wanted. The shopkeeper had it for her at the counter. She counted out a few tokens and thanked the creature as she hurried outside again. She slipped her hand into the Luxan's and began to tug him down an alley.
          "Chiana," he warned in a low voice.
          "Live a little," she laughed as she pulled him around a corner into a deserted storage area.
          She pulled the long stopper from the vial, sniffing it briefly before daubing a bit of the fragrant oil on the hair beneath D'Argo's nose. His eyelids fluttered rapidly before his eyes slid upward. A deep growl came from between his clinched teeth before he took her tiny waist in his hands, lifting her into a passionate kiss.
          Giggling, Chiana pushed herself out of his embrace just long enough to undress. Never taking his eyes from her increasingly exposed body, D'Argo yanked clumsily at his own clothes until his genitals were uncovered and readily available. Seeing this, Chiana leaped back into his arms with a wicked, chirruping laugh.
          A dark figure shifted in the shadows, neither of them noticing. As Chiana arched backward in ecstasy, a light flashed around them. She tumbled limply from D'Argo's arms to the ground. She felt the heavy weight of the Luxan fall upon her before she lost consciousness.




          The surface beneath her naked body was cold. Her skin tingled from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Her head was spinning. did that skivulk of a vendor poison them? She writhed and squealed her disapproval only to find herself securely shackled. She opened her eyes, taking in the situation. Her mind was instantly alert, despite the stunner used to subdue them. She could almost remember the dark figure and the flash of the weapon.
          Chiana saw D'Argo similarly bound on the floor across the chamber. She knew from the angles of the walls and the lights overhead they were in a ship. A Peacekeeper ship. She fought her bonds once more, yelling like a rabid animal.
          "It will be to no avail, I assure you." A voice colder than the wall she was shackled to spoke in her ear.
          She recoiled with a vicious growl. She hadn't heard or sensed anyone else in the room. The man appeared in her field of vision, a thin, pale wraith with eyes like her brother's. She shuddered and tried to turn her head away.
          "Nebari, you have information." he said softly. "I require information."
          "Frell you!" she swore with more strength than she felt. Every instinct told her this was no ordinary Peacekeeper.
          "Incorrect attitude." He replied, his tone still soft and terrifying.
          A long, agonizing wail filled the room. She struggled to turn her face to see D'Argo. His back arched at an impossible angle from the deck. His scream reached horrible heights.
          "Stop it!" Chiana shrieked loudly enough to be heard above the Luxan's torment.
          "You need only ask," the man told her politely.
          She watched D'Argo's body fall limply back into unconsciousness.
          "Why are you doing this?" Chiana hissed as he faced her, bottomless eyes staring into hers.
          "I've already told you." He said calmly. "Information."
          "Well, I'm all out of information today. Find somebody else, frellnik," she spat turning her head from the blow she expected for such an insult.
          D'Argo's screams filled the room again, joined by her own as she struggled against her bonds.
          "Enough!" she howled.
          "Perhaps, Nebari, you are more stupid than you appear." He said taking a fistful of her hair in one gloved hand. "I shall explain it to you in no uncertain terms."
          "Yeah, you do that," Chiana retorted pulling against his grip with a feral growl.
          "I can well imagine that there is nothing I could do to you to secure the information I require." He said, his face mere denches from hers. "You would die before telling me a thing, out of sheer spite if for no other reason."
          "You read me right, Peacekeeper," she hissed, willing herself to continue to stare unflinchingly into his eyes.
          "Thank you," he replied simply, winding her hair painfully around his fist. "However, since I found you and the Luxan. . .in such a compromising position as to suggest you are intimates, I can only conclude that you would be equally determined to give me whatever I require to prevent more of this."
          The man waved his free hand slightly and the sound of D'Argo's agony filled the space around them once more. Chiana felt hair ripping from her scalp as she fought against the man's grip. Her throat nearly burst with the force of her screams. Humiliating, defeated tears coursed down her cheeks.





          "Where the frell have you two been," Crichton snapped from the portal of the transport pod. "We've been comming your for two arns."
          "Passed out in an alley," D'Argo groused, embarrassed.
          He shoved Chiana eagerly up the ladder ahead of him.
          "Passed out?" Crichton asked incredulously.
          "Yeah, Chi wanted to try a sensual stimulant." the Luxan admitted sheepishly. "Apparently, um. . .we used too much of it."
          Crichton suppressed a chuckle as he looked at the Nebari. She huddled on a seat against the far wall of the transport.
          "Yo, Pip," Crichton asked walking toward her. "You okay?"
          She looked up at him, eyes vacant and confused. "Yeah, yeah. Like D'Argo said. Too much of the aphrodisiac I think."
          "You guys've got to be more careful," Crichton said, stroking Chiana's cheek. He didn't like the look on her face. It worried him but he figured she was still stoned or hung over.
          "Yes, considering there is most likely a retrieval squad and Special Ops tracker here on the planet looking for us," Aeryn said angrily from the pilot's seat.
          "Frelling Hezmana," D'Argo swore, sitting down heavily next to Chiana and rubbing his forehead.
          "Exactly, Luxan!" Snarled Rygel hovering next to Aeryn. "Some of us would prefer not to die because of your sexual misadventures."

          "I'm sorry," D'Argo said quietly to Crichton as he pulled Chiana closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. "We're sorry."