Type: Vignette
Author: Karolyn Gray <kmgray3@aol.com>
ScifiBB/Chat Handle: Gray3
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Synopsis: None
Archiving: Yes
Disclaimers: All Farscape names, characters and other related indicia are the property of Jim Henson Productions, Hallmark Entertainment, Nine Networks, the Scifi Channel and all associated parties. No copyright infringement is intended.
Note: Title taken from the song 'History of the Sandman' by the band F.R.E.U.D.
The Valley of Dreams
By Karolyn Gray
“You know this kind of reminds me of the beach parties DK and I would go
to back home.” John Crichton was saying, brushing the sand from his
trousers from a passing dancer.
Aeryn grunted in displeasure, making obvious the opinions of the others as well as herself, as she sipped more of the local ale. “So your people get drunk and dance around fire like the primitive barbarians you are?”
John frowned at that, wondering where that had come from. Shrugging, he decided to let it pass noting Aeryn had been in a steadily worse mood as the day had passed. “Hey, primitive or not, it was fun.”
“I´m sure.” Aeryn droled.
Before John go reply to that, one of the dancers passed between them and pulled him to his feet.
“Whoa. Wait a minute...uh..." John´s voice trailed off as he recognized the woman standing before him, momentarily puzzled by the odd smell of cinnamon and mint. “Setha.”
Setha smiled in reply, gesturing expansively. The costume she wore left little to John´s imagination as he could easily see the scaly texture of her pink and lavender skin and the silvery vein-like traceries on her torso, arms and legs.
John was mesmerized as the woman continued to circle him, her body moving in synch with the hypnotic music. Her hands and arms wove intricate patterns into the air around her. Her luminescent blue eyes glowed in the fire light as she touched his shoulder ever so slightly, trailing her nails across the back of his thin shirt as her turn carried her behind him.
A moment later another pirouette brought her in front of him. She swayed before him, her arms encouraging him to follow as she smiled promisingly, seductively. When close enough to touch she slipped away, running her hands along her body suggestively as she continued to sway to the music.
Unknowingly, Crichton began to sway with her. Barely a fraction at first, his movement slow but growing as the music swelled louder around them, driving all other thought but the woman in front of him from his mind.
“Crichton!”
John vaguely recognized the voice as belonging to Aeryn but felt no desire to answer her as he continued to follow Setha.
Smiling as the dance took hold of the human, Setha slinked over to him, taking his hands and guiding him in the dance. Bodies pressed close she urged him in a ghostly caress of her body, their gyrations slowly grinding into each other in perfect rhythm even as the music faded and shifted, transitioning from the hypnotic and sensuous to a more primal, drum driven beat equally seductive with its raw power.
Setha grinned as they completed another spin, leaning comfortably into the human´s strong grasp. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could sense the disapproving stares of the Elders. She had known better than to approach the alien but defied them in a pique of selfishness. It was time to complete the ritual and move on to another before the damage was irreparable.
Regretfully, she grasped the human´s face with her hands and kissed him passionately, remaining in that embrace for far longer than custom dictated. Pulling away she could see the human´s dazed blue eyes and slight smile, feeling a stab of regret at having used such an innocent as him. But the sake of her people took precedence over this human male that had captivated her heart so.
With that Setha turned away, rejoining the dancing throng. In moments she was gone and John Crichton remained transfixed by the crowd and the music unaware his shipmates approach.
“John?” Aeryn called softly, worried by the odd look on Crichton´s face. Equal parts rapture, despair, lust and loss.
A moment ago she had been upset that Crichton had simply taken the strange alien woman´s hand when she had danced by their group. She had recognized her as Setha, a female John had seemed to take a great liking to during their meeting with the Commerce Facilitator of the region over bartering permissions.
John had gone on for arns about Setha, her people, culture, and language continually noting the similarities to his home world. While the rest of Moya's erstwhile crew seemed surprisingly interested in the human's commentary Aeryn admitted she was left feeling extremely jealous of the alien female, hating Setha for no other reason than she and John had ‘clicked´ in a seemingly innocent and platonic friendship. Platonic until what she had just witnessed.
Aeryn exchanged a concerned glance with Zhaan before touching John´s shoulder gently. “John?”
The human turned to her with a beautiful smile pulling her gently into her grasp. Aeryn allowed her self to be pulled against him, more out of surprise than intent.
“Aeryn.” He whispered, his voice husky with the desire she could see clearly in his eyes. “Dance with me, Aeryn.” He whispered, starting to sway gently as the music changed once more, adding a strange drone.
Aeryn shoved him way from her, feeling unaccountably nervous about the human. John smiled at her, closing his eyes as he continued to sway, seeming to loose himself in the growing tonal droning of the music.
“What´s wrong with him?” Chiana asked, her head twitching once to the side to observe the scientist with a speculative look.
Zhaan looked over the human, dancing oblivious to his comrades concerns. “I do not know. He appears...intoxicated.”
“Perhaps he is having a reaction to the food.” D´Argo suggested. Glancing around D´Argo noticed the large crowd´s numbers dwindling rapidly, many pairing off as they departed. “It appears the celebration is ending. Let us take him back to Moya and leave this world.”
“Agreed.” Aeryn replied. Stalking over to Crichton she grabbed his arm. “Come on, Crichton. We´re leaving.”
Aeryn was brought up short and found her self in his strong grasp, still swaying to the music. He was laughing, trying to get her to follow his movements. “Crichton! Let me go!”
John merely giggled in reply, trying and failing to her to spin around for him.
Pushing him away, Aeryn sighed as John grasped her pulling her back from her
intended retreat.
If she had not been concerned for his sudden odd behavior she would have found
this quite amusing.
“Perhaps I should help her.” D´Argo stated with a small smile, starting to move towards the pair.
“No.” Came a raspy voice. The other turned to find an old woman in a simple brown robe standing there.
D´Argo could sense there was more to this woman than met the eye. Perhaps it was the knowledge and wisdom he saw in her black, pupil-less eyes. Reigning in his usual gruffness, he nodded is head respectfully. “May I ask with whom we speak?”
The old one blinked slowly before nodding. “Mestha.” She replied. Gesturing to John and Aeryn, she revealed a nearly toothless mouth as she seemed to smile. “But the question you wish to ask is why I say not to approach your friends.”
Zhaan pressed her hands together in front of her in greeting before nodding. “Yes. Why did you tell us not help them? We merely wish to collect our friend so that we may continue our journey.”
Mestha hissed softly, apparently her species version of laughter. “You may approach them. *He* may not.” The old woman pointed at D´Argo to emphasize her point. “Violence is certain should you approach him in this state.”
“This state?” D´argo asked, eyeing the human trying to get Aeryn to dance with him and the former Peace Keepers attempts to avoid doing so without harming her fellow shipmate.
“Please forgive us. My daughter, Setha, was unaware that your comrade was not a part of the ceremony until she had already applied the vijlasi-jalia´naj.” Mestha bowed her head submissively. “We meant no harm to him. He should be back to normal in a few arns, but until then he may be very...possessive...over what he considers his.”
“Aeryn is not his to command or own.” D´Argo growled in displeasure.
“But they share a connection with each other that they do not hold with any of the rest of your compliment. Do they not?” Mestha asked knowingly. Waving her hand dismissively, the old woman shook her head as she looked the Luxan over.
“You may be larger than he, stronger, but will fight to keep what he at this moment believes is his.” Mestha warned. “Do not trifle with him in this state.”
“Your saying Crichton has initiated a mating ritual with Aeryn?” Chiana asked, barely containing her urge to laugh.
Mestha cocked her head to the side as if to consider the young Nebari´s words carefully. After a moment the elder nodded her head. “Inaccurate but yes.” Her smiled faded as she turned to leave, fixing D´Argo with a hard stare. “Mark my words Luxan.” With that the old woman departed.
“Who was that?” Aeryn asked, having escaped Crichton´s grasp and returned to the group while he continued dancing.
“Setha´s mother.” Chiana replied with a grin.
“She came to inform of us about the reason for Crichton´s behavior.” Zhaan interrupted before the Nebari could say something to embaress the sebacean woman.
Aeryn snorted. “That´s easy. He´s insane.”
Zhaan smiled at that. “Apparently Setha was unaware that we were not part of the evenings ceremony and accidentally gave an intoxicant to John. He shall be fine in a few arns.”
“An intoixant? When?” Aeryn asked skeptically. “I´ve seen Crichton drunk before and he never acted this way.”
“That´s because this one´s intended for mating rituals.” Chiana threw out with a big grin.
“Mating rituals? Then why is he acting so strange around...me.” Aeryn´s voice trailed off as she realized what was going on. A part of her was embarassed but another part highly flattered despite all their recent conflicts.
“Um. Yes. Well than how do we get him back to the ship?” Aeryn asked, surprised she sounded like her normal, reserved self.
Zhaan looked rather emberassed as she spoke. “The easiest way would be for you to invite him to join you this evening.”
Aeryn shook her head. “Why don´t we just have D´Argo haul him back there?”
“Mestha warned that John could become somewhat…possessive, was the term I believe she used.” D´Argo replied. A crooked smile came to the Luxan´s face. “Over you.”
“Oh.” Was all Aeryn could manage to think of.
Seeing the others watching here expectantly, Aeryn sighed and stalked off towards the human resignedly. A few moments later she came strolling back arm in arm with Crichton, the human's attention solely focused on her as they walked past the others.
Chiana started to say something but was cut off as Aeryn brought John to a halt. A small, pleasant smile was plastered to the former Peace Keepers face, a smile that did not reach her eyes as she met the other woman´s ebony gaze. “One word, Chiana and you´ll wish the Nebari were here to remove from your memory what I´ll do to you if this is ever spoken of in my presence. Understood?”
Seeing Aeryn was serious Chiana ducked her head nervously, nodding. “Sure.”
Nodding once Aeryn´s grin widened, humor slipping back into her eyes as she met Crichton´s gaze. “Ready to go?”
John traced his fingers along her jaw line. “With you? All ways.”
Aeryn couldn´t help but blush at that, seeing that he meant it, no trace of drug induced stupor in the words or gesture. Grasping his hand she urged him on, trying to ignore the others watching them. “Well, come on then.”
*****
John Crichton moaned in pain, grasping his head in a vain attempt to ease the throbbing headache that had dragged him from the most peaceful sleep he'd had since escaping from Scorpius and his Aurora Chair. Rolling over onto his side, he was vaguely releived to find that so far he felt no other ill effects.
"Crichton!"
John cringed at the voice of Aeryn Sun calling loudly over the communicator pinned to his shirt. Tapping the device, John was dimly aware that he was still wearing the clothes he had worn the previous day. "Yeah..." He managed to gasp out despite the strange combination of sore thorat and a fuzzy toungue speaking gave him.
'What the hell did I drink last night?' John wondered, a slightly dopey grin crossing his face as he realized he didn't remember much past explaining the value of beach parties to his erstwhile friends.
"You were to relieve me in command a quarter arn ago." Aeryn stated matter of factly over the comm. John could easily hear the irritation in her voice. And something else he couldn't identify.
'Damn. Did I piss Aeryn off?' He tried to recall what had happened the night before, but drew a blank.
"Mmn." John rubbed the back of his neck, rolling out of his bunk. "Be there in a few minutes, Aeryn." He replied, squeezing his eyes closed as his headache increased.
"You have 200 microts." Came the warning reply.
John lurched to his feet unsteadily, suddenly very aware of his hunger by a loud rumble from his stomach. "It's gonna be one of those days." John muttered to himself.
*****
John walked unsteadily into command, his silent mantra of 'just one more step, just one' going over and over in his mind in the vain hope that he could divert his attention away from his pounding head and sore throat.
"You made it with fifty microts too spare." Aeryn commented.
'Man the temperature in here just took a nose dive.' John thought to himself, quickly appropriating a nearby bench at a work station to sit. One look at Aeryn was enough to confirm his suspicion. She was pissed. Somehow he couldn't bring himself to care managing only to say 'Mm' by way of repnse. Even he wasn't sure whether he was agreeing with her or intended something by way of a greeting.
Sniffing in disdain, Aeryn looked over his disheveled appearance and shook her head. "D'argo should be hear to relieve you in four arns." With that she started to depart the chamber.
"I'm sorry."
That caght her attention. Turning around she found John looking at her with an apologetic smile that only seemed to add to his wan expression. It was obvious that he was feeling miserable. "What for?" She asked.
He shrugged in response. "For whatever I did to tick you off, Aeryn."
A slow smile came to her face as she approached him once more. She rested a hand on his shoulder and leaned down next to his ear. "Don't make promises to me that you can't keep." With that she started to leave again.
John blinked several times, trying to rack his brain for what he could have promised the ex-Peace Keeper. "What promise?"
"If you're feeling better tonight then come to my chamber. We might even talk about it." A decidedly un-Aeryn like impish smile came to her face. "Eventually." With that she sauntered from Command.
For a long moment, John simply stared blankly at the spot Aeryn had stood, his mind reeling. 'Did she? Naw. This is Aeryn here. But....naw. Maybe. Her chambers? Uh..wow. Aeryn making a pass? Frell that! She invited me in!"
A grin came to John's face. 'God, don't let this be a dream.'
"Attention. Moya has detected what she believes to be a Peacekeeper patrol at the edge of her sense horizon."
"Frell." John muttered in resignation.