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Mind Games Pt 2 by LeatherGirl
Mind Games
continued from page one
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Another flash of memories passed through Crichton’s mind as he headed towards the planet. He saw himself, as he once was…innocent and the anchor of the crew for thinking things through instead of blasting the way to the answer with violence. That soul was long lost and buried deep within him. Now, he was a hollow man filled with rage and hate. Seeking one thing and one thing only…to silence that haunting voice in his head. To end Scorpius’ rein on Crichton’s every existing moment. Somehow, John realized Scorpius was a part of him. He did not know how or why, but Scorpius seemed to be with him always since they had first met. No matter what John did, Scorpius knew where he was or what he was doing. It was like he was there with him. Crichton squeezed his eyes shut to rid of the memories of pain he had suffered and concentrated on the task on hand.
He was strong enough to realize he needed to isolate himself from Moya and the crew to save their lives. But not strong enough to resist the urge to listen to that voice in his head…Scorpius’ demanding voice. And the voice told him he needed to face his enemy. He needed to surrender.
“John. Do you hear me? John?” Zhaan’s voice called over the comms. John chose to ignore her pleading voice. She sounded desperate and scared. Only a tiny impulse within John felt for her.
“Listen here, human.” D’Argo’s angry voice interrupted. D’Argo uttered a few words that John’s microbes could not translate. John was about to turn his comms off when something in his head stopped him. Deep down within him, he realized it would be smart to leave the comms on. To record anything that might happen down on the planet.
“John. You are not acting normal. Turn around immediately. You will surely be killed if you don’t.” Aeryn’s demanding PeaceKeeper voice urged. “Or is that what you want?”
The last comment tugged at John’s conscience. But something else took over and John speeded up towards the planet. He stopped listening to the pleading voices and suddenly heard another voice he had not heard from in too long of a time. His mother’s.
“John. Please. Please don’t leave us. Don’t leave us again.” His mother’s voice cried in angst. Tears welled up in John’s eyes as he listened to her voice and longed to be with his mother once more. That scar from so long ago had not yet healed.
“John! What a surprise. So nice to see you. Let’s get together and chat, shall we?” Scorpius’ voice replied over the comms. Startled, John glanced around his module, half expecting to see Scorpius’ face morph from the controls in front of him.
“Shut up, Scorpy! I’m already doing what you want. Just leave them alone and let’s get this over with,” John stated, not really knowing what he was getting himself into. He just wanted all the pain to end. He knew deep down what he was doing was the best for Moya and the crew.
After an arn, John landed safely down on the planet. He was greeted by stern PeaceKeepers once he exited his module. John did not resist. He observed how much this commerce planet resembled the last one they had been to and followed the PeaceKeepers to a large structure. He already knew Scorpius was in there. They entered the structure and walked through a maze of several dark hallways. John was growing tired and dizzy from walking so long and began to wonder what the hell he was doing. A light shone onto his face as he was led into a large central room decorated with the usual homey PeaceKeeper colors. A throne was situated at the opposite end of the room. Scorpius sat patiently waiting on the throne. John immediately recognized this room from the flashes he had been experiencing when Scorpius was trying to keep him sane.
The PeaceKeepers shoved John forward into the room and the doorway behind him morphed into a wall. There was no exit now. John stared at the wall blankly and turned to see Scorpius. It was as if his mind had suddenly been erased. He could not fathom how he had gotten here or what he was doing here. John stepped forward and stopped halfway into the room. He looked up to see a bright light shining down on him and then looked back to Scorpius.
Scorpius grinned with an evil little chuckle and arose from his chair. He walked down a few steps and came face to face with Crichton. He then began to circle him.
“It’s been a long time, my friend.” Scorpius smiled. Crichton watched Scorpius wearily and tried to search his memory on how he had gotten here and what might have happened to Moya and the crew.
“Where are we? What have you done to Moya and the others?” John demanded. He suddenly began to feel extremely exhausted.
“You’re tired, John. You look exhausted. Have a seat.” Scorpius stated in a controlling manner. John stumbled slightly as a chair rose from the floor behind him. He willingly listened to Scorpius and sat down in the chair, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He struggled to keep focused, but was finding it harder to concentrate as his mind began to numb.
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“What do you mean the Command Carrier has turned towards us? Has it detected us?” D’Argo asked angrily, fussing over the controls with Aeryn. Zhaan had completely tuned into the Delvian Seek and was currently praying to the goddesses. Rygel was floating anxiously around Command worrying what would become of them. Chiana was nervously hassling Pilot about the situation at hand in Pilot’s quarters.
“I’m afraid so.” Pilot answered to D’Argo and then turned his attention to Chiana.
“What do you mean he looked different? He’s John- he doesn’t change colors or anything!” Chiana exclaimed, continuing their conversation before D’Argo’s interruption.
“There was something different in his eyes. It was if, it was if someone else was controlling him.” Pilot stated softly. Chiana shared a gaze with Pilot and pondered the thought.
“You don’t think Scorpius has anything to do with the way he was acting, do you?” Chiana asked.
“I don’t know.” Pilot answered honestly.
“Frell that Crichton. We should be searching for my son, not wasting our time trying to figure out what the frell made him lose his mind.” D’Argo exclaimed angrily.
“We can only handle one thing at a time, D’Argo.” Aeryn reasoned. She stopped and watched the fleet of PeaceKeepers approaching. For a brief moment, part of her wanted to join the fleet and head into battle. It was what she was trained for.
“Zhaan, how can you be so calm when we’re about to be destroyed by PeaceKeepers?” D’Argo raged on. Zhaan glanced at him with an angry glare and turned her attention back to praying.
“D’Argo, stop. It’s too late.” Aeryn stated suddenly. She held her gaze on the view screen.
“What are you talking about, Aeryn? We still can starburst out of here.” D’Argo yelled.
“No. They’ve locked their frag cannons on us. It’s too late. Besides, I’m not abandoning Crichton. No matter how crazy he appears to be he needs our help. I, for one, need to return the favor.” Aeryn seemed calm. Too calm for D’Argo.
“Have you lost your mind as well? Maybe you should be down there with Crichton!” D’Argo stated. With that, he angrily stalked out of Command. Aeryn watched him leave and turned to Zhaan.
“It looks as though it is too late to starburst. Unfortunately, the PeaceKeepers have demanded that we surrender. I see no other alternative at this point.” Pilot stated with defeat over the comms. Aeryn glanced at the view screen and then back to Zhaan.
“I hope your gods are listening…we’re going to need all the help we can get.” Aeryn stated. She turned and headed out of the Command.
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John could feel that all too familiar fear rising in his stomach. His worse enemy had gotten the best of him. Somehow, his mind had gotten so frelled that he must have surrendered himself to Scorpius. Impossible! There’s no way I’d give in to Scorpius.
Yes, John, there is. You wanted to save your shipmates so you surrendered to me. A wise choice. You’ll save everyone a lot of pain and suffering. Scorpius’ voice echoed throughout John’s mind.
John looked at Scorpius, who had resumed circling him. Scorpius wore that same old familiar grin that John had been haunted with for so long. The numbness within was growing stronger, and John could feel himself growing weaker by the minute. He could not figure out how Scorpius was controlling him. And the anger growing deep within him was making John feel more unsettled than ever.
“What do you want from me that you haven’t already taken?” John asked, knowing the answer.
“Johnny boy, you already know that one. Why don’t you ask what’s really bothering you?” Scorpius asked, lowering his face to John’s left ear and then raising once again to circle John.
“Fine. Why are you in my head? Why…” John stopped and came to the realization he had once discovered but somehow forgotten. The anger within him unleashed and John lunged at Scorpius. A jolt of electricity shook John’s body, forcing him to fall back into the chair, doubled over in pain. He held his head in his hands and looked up at Scorpius weakly.
“You planted that thing in my head. I want it out!” John demanded breathlessly.
“That’s not how we play the game, John. You know what I need and you’re going to give it to me. No matter what it takes.” Scorpius stated.
John rubbed his aching head with his rough hands and looked back to Scorpius with an unsteady gaze. He knew there was no way out of this. The mental chip Scorpius had planted in his head had begun to control his thoughts and actions.
*************
“Surrender?” Rygel squeaked nervously. The crew stood gathered in Command staring out through the view screen. After Pilot had unsuccessfully tried to prepare Moya for starburst, the Marauder fired a warning shot. The crew realized there was no way out.
“There is nothing we can do. May the goddess be with us.” Zhaan stated hysterically, passing her hands over her head with a quick prayer.
“We can’t just give up. We’ve got to fight!” Chiana disagreed. She brushed against D’Argo’s side. “You won’t surrender, D’Argo. You have to find your son. I have to find my brother. Come on!”
“Chiana! We are outnumbered. A true warrior lays down his weapon when he recognizes defeat.” D’Argo stated, staring out into the vast fleet of prowlers circling Moya. Chiana couldn’t believe her ears. Everyone was giving up.
“What the frell do you guys think you’re doing? No way would you ever give up this easily. Crichton once told me, where there’s a will, there’s a pathway…or something like that. If we believe we can get out of this, we can. And I know Crichton is down there for a reason. He may seem like he’s gone completely crazy…but I’m sure he has a plan.” Chiana tried to reason.
“What are you talking about, Chiana? Just face reality.” Aeryn grunted unhappily.
“Well, we’re not dead yet. Crichton must be stalling for us. Those Prowlers are guarding us. Something’s not right. Trust me.” Chiana stated, looking out to the Prowlers.
“Chiana, just face it…” D’Argo began but was cut off by Aeryn.
“D’Argo, she’s right.” Aeryn replied and headed over to the controls to monitor the situation. “They haven’t even directly contacted us. We’re being held captive but we are not the attention of that Marauder…Crichton is.”
“Scorpius.” Zhaan whispered.
“Crichton somehow knew Scorpius was here and perhaps felt he had to sacrifice himself. He may have thought of it as a good plan…but he sure could have informed us about it.” Aeryn reasoned.
“He’s down there with Scorpius, and we’re up here with the PeaceKeepers. There’s no way we can save each other from an equal fate.” Rygel stated in a dreaded voice.
“I will not give up. My son is out there and I am this close to finding him! We must fight!” D’Argo stated, changing his mind all together.
“Stubborn Luxan.” Aeryn muttered under her breath. She turned her attention to Pilot. “Pilot, are Crichton’s comms on?
“I believe so.” Pilot said with surprise.
“Crichton? Can you hear me?” Aeryn stated. Silence followed. Aeryn tried once again. Still nothing.
“He’s probably ignoring you.” Rygel said. Aeryn ignored Rygel’s remark.
“John, listen to me and listen to me very carefully. I don’t care whether you may hear me or not. We are not giving up. I don’t believe you have surrendered us or that you have surrendered yourself. Please don’t frell this up. A warrior fights to the death. You have proved to me that you are a warrior.”
Silence followed her speech. Aeryn bit her lip nervously and looked to the others.
“I think it’s up to him, now.” Zhaan replied.
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