Back to part one


7.
The limo was stuck in traffic, as usual. I took another lick of my ice cream and leaned back on John's shoulder.

"I'm perfectly serious, John. We'll put small refrigeration units in my Prowler and in all the transport pods. That way if I start to overheat, I can use the ice cream to cool down and not develop Sebacean Heat Delirium."

"That's ice cream, Aeryn."

What was John talking about. "Of course it's ice cream. That's what we're talking about."

John laughed. "You're calling it "ize krim" instead of ice cream, Aeryn."

There was no Sebacean word for ice cream, so of course I had to use English.

John went on, "And if you keep eating "ize krim," you'll look like the girl on the end over there."

I looked out the window of the limo and got another shock. There on the sidewalk were four of me. Four Human women, no really young girls, all dressed like me. Black Peacekeeper boots, dark pants, a gray tee shirt , a web belt and pouch, and black hair. Somehow, the hair didn't look natural. The one on the end was, well, generously built.

"John.... John..." I didn't know what to say. "They can't do that, can they?"

"You're a fashion trend setter, Aeryn. Don't worry. You have at least four fans who'll complain if someone wants to put you in a cell, or worse."

There was something in John's voice I didn't like. "Has anyone been suggesting we should be put in prison, or held in protective custody, or disappeared?" I used the Human word "disappeared" for emphasis.

John pulled out a Human computer and started it up. I waited for microts for it to start working.

John turned the screen to me. "I wanted to wait a while before showing this to you, Aeryn."

What I saw was a crude drawing, but obviously of me. I was shooting Humans. Men, women and children. John did something to the computer and the picture changed. This was a slightly better drawing, but the same subject matter.

John pointed to the drawing on the screen. "This is a group in the Mideast. They believe that you're here to help America enslave the rest of the world. The one before it is from the U.S. They're what we call a hate group. They think you're here to destroy America."

I really didn't understand this. "One group is afraid one ex-Peacekeeper will destroy their country and the other thinks I'll help this country destroy everyone else? Don't they realize how absurd that is?"

John looked glum. "No Aeryn, they don't have a clue."

"John, what are we going to do?"

His answer really surprised me. "Nothing." He continued before I could say a word. "I've told you about freedom of speech, Aeryn. The ones in this country can say, and I emphasize the word say, anything they want. The people in the Mideast, well, they're too small and too hard to get to bother with. But there's a bright side to this."

I couldn't imagine what the bright side to being feared as a mass murderer was. John changed the image again. It was a picture of me in the white dress. I read the caption and then read it again to be sure.

" The Shrine to Our Raven Haired Goddess? Crichton! Humans are worshipping me! "

John smiled and gave me a small hug. "Aeryn you only have one worshipper. No, these aren't really worshippers. But they are interested in you, concerned for you and our friends still on Moya, and determined to see that Humans make friends with you. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."

Both Jack and Hugh had translator microbes now, so I decided I'd drop the subject with John, and take it up with them. I leaned back against John again. "What flavor did you say this is?"

"Cherry Garcia. It's a pun, a joke, a play on words." John looked down and I smiled at him and he continued explaining. "Aeryn, if you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your head...."

8.
"John, neither of the runners was touched by the ball."

"It was a force play, Aeryn, the batter has to run to first when he hits the ball, and the runner on first has to run to second. Last inning, the runner was stealing second, so the second baseman had to tag him. I bet when Rygel gets down here, he'll enjoy a game were you can steal a base."

I gave John my most severe look. "Really, John, that's procure a base, I'm sure."

After two weeks of nonstop whining from Chiana, we had allowed her to come down to Earth. John had said I was the perfect person to go with him, since being female and looking Human, I was the least threatening. You can imagine how I felt about that. And Chiana, being almost Human-looking and also female was the next least threatening. That was almost as funny. But Chiana was on her best behavior, and while I had hated the reporters and television cameras, Chiana loved them. Hugh had taken her to be on a talk show while we were at he game. Zhaan was already talking to human religious leaders over our communications system. I think they were surprised. I was curious what Human's would think when confronted by Rygel or D'Argo.

"Well, at least I don't have to explain to you who's on first, do I, " said John.

I was confused. "Who's on first?"

"Exactly, Aeryn."

I stared at John, not sure that I heard what I thought I heard. "What?"

"Second base, Aeryn."

This was getting unusual even for John.

"I don't know..."

"Third base. Aeryn, you're such a tease. I bet the Sebaceans have been playing baseball for years. You know this game better than I do." John was grinning and he knew he had me confused. I just wasn't going to let him know that I was confused.

Finally, he relented. "It's a play on words, a pun, like Cherry Garcia. I'll explain later. Now pay attention, we're up."

I took a bite out of my hot dog. That was another strangely named Human food, that was even stranger looking, but which I had developed a taste for. This had everything on it and it was one of the most colorful foods I had ever seen. I put the last piece in my mouth, and drank some beer to wash it down.

"John," I said, "Will you buy me some ice cream now?" I was rather proud of my pronunciation of ice cream.

John got a pained look on his face. "Poor underpaid civil servant, John Crichton, has to buy ice cream for Aeryn Sun, sole owner of Sun Systems? Aeryn Sun, who daily has high tech companies begging her to take billions of dollars for what ever scraps of Peacekeeper technology she might throw to them."

I frowned at John. "Yes. I've been talking to Lydia and Kathi. They say that a Human male is supposed to pay for the female on dates."

John looked extremely shocked. "They're ignoring the effects of feminism on society, completely disregarding the concept of Dutch treat, assuming that this is a date, and, these women are applying the rules carefully built up for dates between Humans to Human-Sebacean relations? Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes. I don't know about the first two, but I distinctly recall you saying we had a date to go to a ball game. And, I might add that you have been encouraging me to eat like a Human, do business like a Human, and even to dress like a Human."

I turned back and forth so John could see I was dressed in sandals, white shorts, a red and white shirt with the name McGuire and a number on the back, and an Atlanta Braves baseball cap.

"And I expect to be treated like a Human, too. As a matter of fact, I'm even beginning to feel a little like a Human."

John put his hand on my forehead. "Sebacean heat delirium. I blame myself for letting you stay out in the sun so long. I remember when you would have been insulted to be compared to a mere Human."

"That was when I only knew one Human. Now that I've met a larger group...."

I heard the crack of the bat and saw a blur heading straight for John. I leaned past John, stuck out my right hand, and caught the ball just before it hit his head. The Humans around me were laughing and clapping and one even pounded me on the back. I usually hate being touched by strangers, but this seemed harmless. But, they looked at me expectantly.

"John, am I suppose to do something? Throw the ball somewhere?"

"No, Aeryn, just hold the ball up and wave it around for a few seconds, so everyone can see you caught it." Which I did. Then he said, "You know, I'll bet you don't even throw like a girl."

The word was out of my mouth without thinking. "What?" Before John could say anything I added, "Second base, of course."

John suddenly turned his back on me, and I thought I had said something wrong, but he called out, "Hey, two ice creams over here for me and my date."

9.
The ocean was beautiful. It's colors had ranged from a cold and forbidding gray to a clear blue and now it was a green I had never seen before. Over it the sky was blue from horizon to horizon. A few white clouds hung above the ship. I had never seen anything like it.

We had flown to the Bahamas in a strange Human aircraft. I tried to look confident, but I wasn't happy trusting Human technology after what I had seen of Farscape 1. Jack Crichton and Kathi were with us. It seems that Kathi has been appointed my official guide to all things Human and female. When she found out we were going on a vacation, (another Human word creeping into my vocabulary), she announced we were going shopping for me. I had expected to be able to pick up some new Calvins and perhaps one of those black suits I had seen the Humans on the television wear under water. I didn't believe all of the clothing Kathi tried to buy for me for one short vacation. I especially didn't believe what she wanted me to wear to go swimming. I don't believe any Peacekeeper has ever been seen in something as revealing as a bikini. But I found I enjoyed the effect it had on John. He not only couldn't keep his eyes off me, he had trouble finishing his sentences. I discovered that if I stretched or leaned the right way, John would start sounding like he did when I woke up and found him with me, just after I was stabbed.

Jack watched Kathi, but she didn't have the same effect on him. I understood that Jack was, by Human standards, much older than Kathi. I slept lightly at night and could have told if either of them were leaving their cabins, but neither of them did. There was a lot about Human relations I didn't understand.

I put on my fins, facemask and snorkel and slid into the water. The sun, as Human's called their star, was just coming up over the horizon. I could clearly see the bottom and plant life I couldn't identify was everywhere. Strangely, there were no fish. I looked back and saw John standing on deck looking in my direction. I waved at him and he waved back. Then I saw I had company. A huge fish, easily twice my length. He was sleek, strong looking and a dirty gray in color. He stopped just in front of me. I heard a splash and saw John swimming towards us. The fish looked once in John's direction and then headed slowly the other way. I surfaced to tell John about my new friend, but he didn't give me a chance.

"Aeryn, get back to the ship now. Don't argue, just do it."

John had been swimming much longer than I had and could usually outswim me. But he swam right beside me until we got to the diving platform at the stern. Then he jumped onto the platform grabbed me by the arms and threw me onto the stern.

"John, you don't have to be so rough. Did I do something wrong? Why are you mad at me?"

When John got up beside me, he put his arms around me. "I'm not mad, just concerned and very frightened. That was a Great White."

Well, that was useful. So I asked, "A Great White what?"

"A shark. One that big could have you for breakfast in one bite. Look, Aeryn, there is a lot about Earth you don't understand, and a lot that could hurt or kill you. So in the future, if you want to do anything, we'll do it together, okay?"

I told John that together was fine with me. I suggested we start by having breakfast together.

John looked at me suspiciously, "Do you intend to have ice cream on your waffles again?"

What a silly question. "Of course."

John turned and started towards the galley. "Two orders of waffles with ice cream, coming up."

I shouldn't have, but I couldn't resist. "You know, John, I'll bet that shark recognized a Commando trained Peacekeeper when he saw one and decided to go elsewhere for a meal."

10.
I rushed through the bedroom door. I grabbed the covers and pulled them off of John.

"Get up, John. Hurry."

I ran to the window to be sure it was still there, although I knew it would be. I ran back to John and dragged him, protesting, to his closet. I started trying to put a pair of pants on him.

Finally, he looked at me and growled, just a little,"All right, Aeryn. I can dress myself. I'm a big boy, now."

I ran downstairs. We had moved to a large farmhouse in upstate New York. Normally, at least one of our friends would be staying with us, but this weekend it was empty, except for John and me. I ran to the front door and looked out. It was still there.

I heard John coming down the stairs. "Aeryn, whatever it is will have to wait until I get a cup of coffee, at least. After all those days in the Uncharted Territories with no coffee, I refuse to start a day on Earth coffeeless."

Well, if he could go for cycles without coffee, he could go a few minutes more. I grabbed John by the arm and dragged him through the front door to the porch. I left him there and ran out into it. It was white, and cold, and beautiful, and best of all, it was still falling. I gathered two handfuls and threw them into the air.

I heard John laughing. "Aeryn, it's only snow."

"No, it isn't 'only snow.' It's beautiful, exciting, fascinating, wonderful snow. And I've never seen any. It's even more fun than rain."

I turned around and threw more snow up into the sky so it could fall on me again. Suddenly, a larger snow mass hit the back of my head. I had read about snow, but I didn't remember it falling in such a large mass. I wondered what caused this until I turned around and saw it was a who not a what that caused it.

"John, what are you doing?" I batted a small mass of snow away.

"Snowball fights are another Human custom you'd better get used to, Aeryn." He was throwing snowballs so fast I had trouble making my own and batting them away, so I just let them hit me. I concentrated on hitting John. He was moving toward me, so we were both easier to hit. As he got to me, I bent down to gather more snow. Big mistake. I felt his hand at my neck and felt a large snowball go down the back of my sweater. I screamed and put my hands behind me. Another big mistake. John dropped the next snowball down the front of my sweater. Then he put his arms around me, keeping my arms at my sides and the snowballs firmly against my skin. We were both laughing, but I eventually managed to trip him onto a large snowdrift, causing him to let me go. I sat astride his waist and shook myself to get the snow out. I started to stand, but John pulled me down on to him. He looked at me for the longest time, and then said, "I love you, Aeryn Sun." I smiled and.......

11.
.....the message alarm went off on my computer. My back was better. Not as good as if John were here, but he never would be with me again. He had lived for 108 years. Very old by Human standards, even with the advances Zhaan had brought to Earth. But it was about half of what a Peacekeeper who survived combat could expect to live. I lifted my gaze from my beautiful home world of Earth to the stars. Our grandchildren and great grandchildren were exploring the nearer solar systems, planning colonies and meeting new species.

Their grandchildren would eventually meet Sebaceans. My number one priority was to see to it that the next meeting between Humans and Sebaceans resulted in as joyous and fruitful a union as the meeting between the first Human and Sebacean. I turned back to my desk.

It's times like these that I miss John the most.


I loved you, and so I drew these tides of men into my hands
and wrote my will across the sky in stars
To earn you Freedom, the seven pillared worthy house,
that your eyes might be shining for me
When we came.
Death seemed my servant on the road, till we were near
and saw you waiting;
When you smiled, and in sorrowful envy he outran me and took you apart;
Into his quietness.
Love, the way-weary, groped to your body, our brief wage
ours for the moment
Before earth's soft hand explored your shape, and the blind
worms grew fat upon
Your substance.
Men prayed me that I set our work, the inviolate house,
as memory of you
But for fit monument I shattered it, unfinished: and now
The little things creep out to patch themselves hovels
in the marred shadow
of your gift.


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