Type: Missing scene?/Vignette?
Author: Karolyn Gray <kmgray3@aol.com>
ScifiBB/Chat Handle: Gray3
Rating: G
Spoilers: Look at the Princess, Pt 2: I Do, I Think
Synopsis: Braca must explain his failure to Scorpius
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.
Untitled #20
by Karolyn Gray
"Would you care to explain your failure, Lieutenant?"
Lieutenant Braca swallowed nervously, but kept his face stoic. He had prepared himself for the worst for his failure. And given exactly *who* he had failed, the best he could hope for was that his reprimand would be swift. He remembered all too well had happened to Tactical Officer Lang for the debacle with leviathan-gunship hybrid.
Bringing himself to attention, Braca met his commander's dark eyes. "I offer no excuses, sir."
"Really?" Scorpius replied, with an expression that may have been surprise on his nearly skeletal face. Braca sometimes had trouble deciphering the Scarran hybrids facial expressions. Other times he knew the expressions all too well. Unfortunately, this moment was one of former rather than the latter.
"I did not fully anticipate Crichton's willingness to sacrifice himself rather than be taken into custody nor his willingness to acomplish this end by any means necessary." Braca replied, honestly. "I realize now that I underestimated his abilites. I, therefor, have no excuse for failing this assignment."
"And yet here you stand before me showing no sign of this resistance you claim to have encountered from Crichton." Scorpius gestured towards Braca as if indicating the Lieutenant should look at himself. Sighing, the Scorpius rose from his chair and cirled behind the now visibly nervous Peacekeeper.
"I am told that a Marauder picked you up floating nearby the area the Jakensh ship was destroyed. You abandoned our prey in the face of certain death. Did you not, Lieutenant?"
Braca easily recognized the displeasure in Scorpius' voice but it was nothing compared to Braca's own shame for his cowardice. He was a Peacekeeper. Peacekeepers did not run from alien life forms. Especially inferior beings like the human.
"Yes, sir." Braca replied, resigning himself to his fate.
"Why?"
Braca blinked in surprise. "Sir?"
"A simple question, Lieutenant. Why did you leave the Jakensh ship without John Crichton?" Scorpius asked, stepping in front of the Lieutenant with a menacing glare.
"Crichton had no intention of allowing himself to be captured. He initiated the weapons build up on the Jakensh transport as well as intentionally tried to goad myself and the Jakensh into killing or harming him. I realized there was no possible way in which to capture Crichton alive and..."
"And so you fled to save your own life and report back to me." Scorpius finished acidly.
"Uh...sir." Braca's replied died on his lips. Anything he said now would further show himself to be a coward in the eyes of his commander and of his fellow Peacekeepers.
Scorpius smiled suddenly. "Be not concerned with your failure, Lieutenant. As I said before, Crichton is quite resourceful. He is also obviously far more determined than even I had thought. Your only failure was allowing yourself to under estimate him. As Crichton survived this little venture unscathed, I shall allow the failure to pass without official notice."
"Thank you, sir." Braca barely surpressed a sigh of relied at hearing Scorpius' words.
"You are dismissed, Lieutenant." The hybrid waved his had dismissively and turned to pick up a small, metallic sphere from his desk.
Braca was nearly at the door, when Scorpius spoke again, his voice deep and gravelly. "Lieutenant. Do not fail me again."
Braca swallowed hard and nodded before departing the chamber. He had been given a a second change, a rarity in and of itself in the ranks of the Peacekeepers. Something almost unheard of for Scorpius.
Braca swore to redouble his efforts to redeem himself in the eyes of his Commander and bring this alien, this human, Scorpius desired so badly back into Peacekeeper custody no matter the cost.
Fin.