Episode filler after Relativity. In the last scene Crais doesn’t look so good and I kept wondering, had he been given any medical attention? Finally this story emerged. Crais is feeding Talyn his Engram, John and Aeryn are discussing the events

Relative calm

By GitonCrais

“Shouldn’t we be looking after his shoulder,” Crichton finally asked when he and Aeryn returned to Command. They spoke in subdued tones. He glanced over at Crais who still lay in the same position they had left him in four arns ago.

“You heard what he said when he linked back up to Talyn,” Aeryn checked the readouts.

“Yes but that was six arns ago. If we don’t treat his shoulder, infection might set in,” he looked at her in puzzlement.

Aeryn smiled at him, she finished her checks, “No John, he will not get an infection. You forget that we have been inoculated to every known bacteria and virus in the universe. He’ll be stiff and uncomfortable for a while but he will not die of any infection.”

Crichton couldn’t believe his ears, “You haven’t seen the wound on his shoulder! I think he’ll be more than a little uncomfortable.”

“Of course I saw it,” replied Aeryn with a raised eyebrow, “When he came back on board. We have treated it as much as we could with the scanner…”

“Yeah, when he stood still long enough for me to help him.”

“It was his choice John…”

“What? Not to get treated?”

“No, to help Talyn first.”

“He could have done that after we treated his shoulder!”

She sighed, “He didn’t see it that way.”

At that moment Crais turned position slightly. He let out a deep sigh, which sounded more like a painful moan.

“You see,” Crichton whispered forcefully to Aeryn, “That’s more than uncomfortable. I’m waking him up.”

He started walking to Crais but Aeryn held him back, “No, he’s feeding Talyn his Engram patterns. You wake him up now and you will damage both their minds or kill them.”

Crichton looked back at Crais and saw the sheen of sweat on his brow. Some of Crais’ hair had come out of the queue and straggled limply around his face, his head had sagged forwards. The position he had fallen in didn’t look comfortable.

Crichton couldn’t believe that Aeryn had let Crais have his way. He turned back to her, “It has nothing to do with… what happened, has it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Him killing your mother?”

“I have accepted it as necessary,” she replied calmly, too calmly.

“And I have to believe that?”

“Yes!” She looked him squarely in the eyes, “She would have informed High Command. Crais was right in his actions. It was necessary.” She looked away.

Crichton turned her around, searching her eyes, “And you don’t resent him for it? That’s dren Aeryn and you know it. I remember how you cried. I remember how you wanted to go back to stop Crais from what he was going to do. I remember how you fell in my arms when we heard the shots. I remember how you reacted when he came on board.”

Aeryn frowned, “A momentary weakness, that’s all.”

Crichton looked in the eyes of the woman he loved, saw the pain buried there of losing her last parent, “Aeryn, you are not a Peacekeeper anymore. You don’t have to hide your feelings, especially not from me.”

She pulled away from him, there was hurt in her voice, “I know I’m not a Peacekeeper anymore but it is what I have learned. To be strong. No weakness. It was necessary.”

Crichton let her go. She moved back to the console, keeping herself occupied. Now and again she stole a glance at her former Commander.

Crichton looked back at Crais. The man might have his own hidden agenda. He could be a pain in the eema and Crichton still didn’t trust him but he had came through for them, even if it was in his own interest. If any of them had any doubts about his relationship with Talyn it couldn’t be brought home more emphatically. Crais protected Talyn with an obsession that might cost him his life one day.

Crais’ link to Talyn had nearly cost him his life about a weeken ago when Moya found them. It nearly cost him his life when Talyn was given the poisoned Chromextin. It could cost him his life now. Crichton had no idea how the transfer of the Engram patterns worked, had no idea what kind of effect it would have on either Talyn or Crais.

He had no idea what an untreated shoulder wound could do to Crais. The man had barely been able to walk by the time he caught up with them. He had stumbled inside Talyn. Aeryn had glared at him, knew what he had done had to be done but there was anger in her eyes too. She had shouted at him, accused him of being glad to let the Peacekeeper bloodlust rule his actions. Accused him of taking away another part of her past. She had poked his shoulder.

Crais had stood there in stoic silence, leaning against the bulkhead, grasping his shoulder with a nearly knuckle-white hand. Had not defended himself. He had just let Aeryn rave at him.

It was Crichton who had pulled Aeryn away from Crais.

Crais had only looked at him briefly before stumbling to Command. His face betrayed the shock he felt when he saw the devastation there. His own injury forgotten, he had moved from one console to the next, assessing the damage done to Talyn. He had linked up to his gunship and then crashed to his knees when Talyn’s pain overwhelmed him.

Crichton had picked up the medical scanner from Crais’ quarters before going to Command. He had been able to give Crais his first treatment on his shoulder but Crais had shoved him angrily away. Talyn came first.

“Crais your shoulder…”

“Can wait,” Crais had shouted at him through pain filled eyes, “Talyn is in pain. He’s dying. He needs me, leave us… leave me alone!”

“But you need…” Crichton advanced on Crais.

Crais backhanded him hard with his left hand and Crichton fell stunned to the deck.

Crais had reeled towards the main console, looked at the damage and sunk to the floor. His eyes roamed the room and he sagged against the side of the console.

Crichton got up, the scanner at the ready in one hand and feeling his jaw where Crais had slapped him with the other, he bent down to Crais.

Crais flicked his eyes open, “You can treat me after I have helped Talyn. He is our main concern. If I can’t revive him we will sitting targets.” The hand that had stopped Crichton’s from getting nearer was almost hot to the touch, “After.” Crais leaned back.

Aeryn entered Command, “Why haven’t you brought him to his quarters yet?”

Crichton turned around, “Not my doing. Cap’n Crunch here won’t let me. Won’t even let me treat him. So, don’t blame me.”

Aeryn bent down next to Crais, “Sir, you need your shoulder seen to.”

Crais opened his eyes, “Later. Talyn’s consciousness is fleeing. He needs help now! I will feed him my Engram, maybe that can help him regain awareness. Now, leave me!”

She stood up, “Very well.” She walked away.

“Aeryn…” Crichton turned to look at her, “We need to help Crais.”

“You heard what he said. Later. Talyn needs help first,” she ignored the two men.

When Crichton looked back at Crais he saw that the man had slumped into unconsciousness or sleep, it was hard to tell which.

Crichton stood up and moved over to Aeryn, “What’s this Engram-thingy he was talking about?”

Aeryn looked at Crais and then at Crichton and her voice was calm, “Crais is going to share his thought patterns with Talyn. Part of his mind will become Talyn’s. My… mother destroyed most of Talyn’s awareness in order to render him docile. Crais is trying to help Talyn regain his awareness.”

Crichton looked over, “You mean that Talyn will not be Talyn anymore but that he will become Crais?”

Aeryn shook her head, “No, he will still be Talyn if Crais is successful but he will also have part of Crais’ thoughts and awareness.”

“And what if Crais is unsuccessful?”

“Then they will both die.”

“How long will it take before we know it had any effect,” Crichton asked Aeryn, his eyes still riveted on Crais.

“Aeryn shrugged her shoulder, “I don’t know. I have never seen it happen. Some arns, a day.”

“I can’t believe you can be so callous about it.”

“I’m not callous about it.”

“Then what do you call it?”

“Call what?”

“Your reaction to Crais.”

“I’m just following his wishes.”

Crichton rolled his eyes, “That’s a first.”

Aeryn frowned at him, “What do you mean by that?”

“Whatever.”

“Typical.”

“What?”

“It is always your answer when you can’t win an argument.”

“Argument? I’m just asking…”

Their voices had grown louder and Crais stirred.

Crichton dropped his voice, “I’m just asking if your reaction is not a reaction to him shooting your mother.”

“I have already answered that,” Aeryn hissed.

“And I don’t believe you.”

“Whatever.”

Crichton turned away in exasperation, “I’m going to help Rygel and Stark with repairs.” He left Command.

Aeryn watched him go

Crais stirred, his eyes opened. He was disoriented.

Aeryn bent down and gently cradled his body.

“Aeryn,” Crais’ voice was hoarse.

“I’m here Crais. Is Talyn all right?”

Crais nodded weakly, “The Engram transference has worked. He will wake up soon.”

As if on cue Talyn’s lights came on dimly.

Crais’ eyes unfocused, “Rest Talyn. We have time.” The lights dimmed a little.

“What about you Crais?”

“I will rest too.”

“Can you walk?”

“I will try.” He tried to sit up, then stand but he fell weakly against the console, “Maybe later.”

“Let me help you up, I will get you to your quarters. Your shoulder needs treatment.”

Crais shook his head warily, “I will rest first.”

“Don’t be so stubborn,” Aeryn growled, “You need treatment. We have postponed it long enough. You can rest after that.”

Crais shook his head and seemed to drift off.

Aeryn slapped his face lightly, “No you don’t. You’re not falling asleep on me.”

Crais opened his eyes blearily, “Just a little rest.”

“No. Treatment first, rest later.”

She hauled him up by his left arm. He let out a cry of pain.

She moved him in a standing position, “Now walk!”

He was too weak to resist and let her guide him to his quarters. She dropped him on the bed and then went off to get him a drink of water. When she returned, he was barely conscious. She had to support him to let him drink, which he did thirstily.

Getting his tunic and shirt off was a painful affair. The blood had dried and had caked the clothes to his shoulder but he clamped his lips and let her help take the tunic and shirt off. Small grunts escaped when she tried to remove it carefully. His left arm was already free but getting his right arm freed from the sleeves would be too painful to remove slowly.

“Brace yourself.”

“What for?”

She yanked the tunic and the shirt off in one go. Crais’ screamed. He slumped forwards. Aeryn smiled wryly, “Done.”

Crais was barely awake when she started treating his wound.

“I am sorry Aeryn. But it had to be done.”

“I know Crais. Don’t mention it.”

“If there had been another way…”

She growled, “Don’t mention it.”

“I…”

She stepped away from him, tossing the scanner on the bed, “I told you, don’t mention it.” She ran out of the room and nearly collided with Crichton in the corridor, “Baby what happ…” She ran straight past him. Crichton entered Crais’ quarters.

Crichton found Crais lying on his side, barely conscious, his torso bared, the scanner on the bed and fresh blood seeping from the wound. The whole shoulder looked bruised, “What happened?”

Crais looked up and sideways at Crichton, the last person he wanted to see, “I tried to apologise. She took her mother’s death badly.”

“That’s an understatement Crais. Let me help you.”

Crais had to concede. He couldn’t do it himself. He had expected Crichton to make snide remarks while he busied himself with his shoulder. He was surprised when he didn’t.

“How’s Talyn?”

“Resting.”

“It worked then?” Crais nodded.

“Good.” Crichton cleaned up the blood around the wound, “All done. Now, you rest.”

“About Aeryn?”

“I’ll see to her.” Crichton left the room without a further word.

Crais lay back on bed, mindful of his shoulder. He could hear Talyn’s voice in his mind. Talyn was happy to be back. Crais smiled, so was he.

He drifted off to sleep.

The End

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FanFiction on Captain Bialar Crais