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"She said to me once that even though we are different, we should only judge others by their character."  he replied.  "What have I done?  I never thought about it before, but what we're doing--" 

It was just then that Kathra entered.  "You've done well, Hunter."  she said.  "Leave us."

"As you wish, Mistress."  he said as he went to the back of the room where the door was, but instead of exiting, he went behind a curtain where Kathra couldn't see him.  "I see your genetic code is rather complex."  she said to John.  "I'm certain we could use what we find in you for possible breeding."

"So that's why this is called the breeder chambers."  he replied.  "Oh, boy."

"You've been talking with the Hunter."  she said.

"I'm a friend of the family."

"The empire is his family, Crichton, and you are no friend."

"You're the surrogate family, I'm with the biological one."

"The Luxan father?  Poor, deluded fool.  You underestimate my control over him."

"Tell me something, Kathra.  Of all the beings in the galaxies, why him?"

"He was perfect, I saw it from the moment he waltzed into my camp.  The strength and fierceness of a Luxan and the mind and agility of a Sebacean.  Plus, considering how he's suffered by the PeaceKeepers, who better to destroy them?  But all that will soon change when I have your world under my control."

"What do you mean?"

"Not of your concern, but as we speak, your genetic code is being processed through a universal scanner.  Let's just say in a matter of microts, you're going home, sort of."  As Kathra left, John watched as the young Hunter came out of hiding, shocked at what had happened.  "You heard everything?"  he asked.

"Yes,"  he replied.  "I knew Kathra was ruthless, but all we ever conquered were former PeaceKeeper colonies."

"Or so she led you to believe.  Does Omega Prime look like a PeaceKeeper colony to you?"

"I don't believe so,"  he said.  "But that planet's always been in Kathra's rule."

"The why the hell is there a rebel group against her?  Tell me that."

"I've no time to deal with you."  he said.  "I've better things to do."

With that, he left John in that cell, awaiting breeding.

*****

Outside the fortress, Elysia and the others assembled close into the boundaries.  "We go in, get your friend, and get out with Kathra's head if possible."  she said.

"What about the Hunter?"  D'Argo asked.

"If he interferes, we'll deal with him."  she replied.  She saw the signal from Arron's troops on the other side.  "We're almost ready."  she said.  Suddenly, half of the fortress began to blaze. 

"Attack!"  Elysia cired out as they charged towards the fortress, getting through every soldier that got in their way.  Kathra immediately noticed the attack and contacted Ta'Cara over the communicator.  "What the frell is going on here?!"  she cried.

"It's the rebels, Mistress."  she answered.  "They're attacking the base with those aliens!  It's possible they've come for the human."

"I can see that, Ta'Cara!"  she cried.  "How did they get by the force field?!"

"It's possible one of the rebels had short-circuted the generator." Ta'Cara explained.  "Your orders, Mistress?"

"Counterattack the assault, you idiot!"  she screamed. 

"Make sure they do not interfere with the scan!"  It was at that moment, Elysia and her group surrounded Kathra.  "We've come for the human, Kathra."   Elysia said.  "And for our freedom."

"Elysia, it's been a long time."  Kathra replied.

"Not long enough, witch!"  she cried.  "For cycles, you've tormented my people, my friends."

"Since when do you call these rebels friends?"

"Since the day they took me in as a child.  You used their species to conduct your experiments, to find a way to enhance your own genetic make-up."

"I see, this again."  Kathra said.  "I'm sure we can discuss more of this given the time."

"There is nothing to discuss, Mother!"  Elysia cried. 

They were in shock when they heard this.

"Kathra's your mother?"  Aeryn asked.

"Biologically, yes."  she replied.  "She attempted to enhance her genetic code while carrying me, but something went wrong.  I absorbed every micron of those enhancements while Kathra was no different than before. She's resented me ever since."

"But, Elysia, that would mean--"  Zhaan began.

"That I'm Sebacean?  The only Sebacean organ I have is my heart, which was closed the moment I was born."

"That is all in the past, child."  Kathra said.  "I can not change what I've done."

"What you've done?!?!"  Elysia cried.  "I know what you've done, Kathra! You conquered peaceful worlds like this one and used its inhabitants for your experiments!  When I was born, you tried everything in your power to mold me and make me exactly like you, and now I see you've done it again, with the Hunter.  Oh, I know about him, Kathra!  You kidnapped him and brought him into your fold."

"He came to me willingly."  Kathra protested.  "He had no family to care for him while I raised him as my own."

"Your own experiment is more like it!"  she replied.  "One way or another, this ends now."  The two engaged in combat, mother against daughter.  Kathra had a small dagger with a handle big enough to fit a hand in while Elysia attacked with a qualta-timi blade, a smaller version of the Luxan sword.  The two fought virgorusly, neither of them willing to give in to the other.  "Get to the breeder chambers!"  Elysia shouted to her group.  "Your friend will most likely be there." 

They were about to leave when D'Argo saw a familiar shape.  "Jothee."  he said.  He began to follow the shape as it descended. 

"D'Argo, wait!"  Aeryn cried as she and Zhaan followed him.  Corridor after corridor they went until they came to a large door.  Hoping he would be there, D'argo broke down the door, but there was no sign of his son.  Seeing Crichton, they assumed this was the breeder chambers.  "John, are you all right?"  Zhaan asked.

"I'm fine, Zhaan."  he replied.  "What's going on out there?  One minute these guys were going to take out my sex organs and use them for breeding, the next I'm left alone in this cell.  There's an invisible wall here, so be careful."

"Somehow we got past the force field surrounding Kathra's fortress and managed to break through."  Aeryn said.

"Have you seen Jothee?"  D'Argo asked.  "I saw him come through that corridor outside."

"No, sorry."  Crichton said.  "Listen, we have to stop Kathra.  She's got hold of some of my eye liquid and is doing God knows what with it, but I know it's not good."  A small disk headed towards John as he grabbed it.

He assumed the walls were down; they were, and he went through.  "Let's get out of here."  he said as they left the chambers.  Meanwhile, Kathra and Elysia were fighting hard.  The two then came in close with each other.  "You are a fool to challenge me, my daughter."  Kathra said.

"Better a fool than a slave."  Elysia replied as the fight went on.

"This world will be free, Kathra, even if I have to take your head for it."  Suddenly the ground shook as an explosion went up in the lower floors.  "Elysia, the primary generators have been destroyed."  Arron said via communicator.  "All the other generals have feld the planet."

"No!!!"  Kathra cried.  "This world is mine!"

"Not anymore."  Elysia replied.  "You lose, Kathra." 

It was just then the outsiders returned with their human friend.  "You may have won this battle, Elysia, but only I will win the war."  she said.  "You shold know by now that victory has a price, a high price."  At the blink of an eye, her dagger hit Elysia right in the heart as the Hunter entered.  "General Hunter, destroy them, starting with the Luxan."  she ordered.

"Afterwards, meet me on the Saviour where we will travel to another planet to regroup."  The Hunter stared at Kathra, his full armor cloaking his shocked expression.  But then he turned to the group she refered to.

"As you command, Mistress Kathra."  he said as she left them to their doom.  The Hunter came to D'Argo, his qualta blade pointed at him.  "Damn you, Hunter."  Elysia said weakly.  "Has Kathra made you so cold that you would kill your own father?"

"It's all right, Elysia."  D'Argo said.  "I had a feeling it would come to this."

"Aren't you going to fight back?"  she asked.

"I can't hurt him."  D'Argo said.  "No matter what he's done, he is still my son."  With that the Hunter grabbed D'Argo's hand and cut it so the blade would be sheathed in blood.  D'Argo immediately squeezed his hand so the blood would increase in flow to heal his small wound.  "Well,"  he asked the Hunter.  "Aren't you going to finish me?"

"This,"  the Hunter said lifting the blood-dressed blade.  "Is all that's required.  Kathra will believed I killed you and this world will be safe. Come, follow me."  He led them to a small room in the castle.  Elysia was laid on a cot next to where the Hunter was lying. 

"I remember this place,"  Elysia said.  "An infirmary for the soldiers.  That equipment was used to perform transplants."

"Right now a heart transplant is what you require,"  Aeryn said. "Problem is where to find a donor."

"I have an idea on where to find one."  the Hunter said.  A hum was heard from the armor as it seemingly disintergrated into a small medalion around his neck.  The young hybrid Luxan was already clothed minus an upper garment.  "Use one of mine."

"Whoa, whoa, are you crazy?!?"  John cried.  "I know Luxans have more than one heart, but--"

"One of my hearts is pure Sebacean."  he interuppted.  "There may be a risk of rejection, but it's the only way."

"What about the PeaceKeeper bodies?"  Zhaan asked.

"No good, it'd take a while to find a suitable donor and we don't have much time."  he said as he lied down on the cot next to the weakening leader.  "Do it!  Even with her genetic enhancements, we must be swift."

"What about you?"  Aeryn asked.

"I'll survive, which is more than I can say for her if we don't start." he said.  "That machine in the corner, place it between us."  They moved the large machine as he said.  "Now, see those metal screens on both sides?"  he asked.

"Yeah,"  John said.  "Aeryn, contact the rebels and tell them to get up here, now!"

"Place the left one over my left heart and place the other over her heart.  It has to be precise or the transfusion won't work, okay?"  It was soon done.  "All right,"  he said.  "Now on the left side, program it to extract and on the right, program to receive, then push the download button in the center and the transfusion will begin."  All of this was done.

*****

A few minutes later, Arron and the rebels arrived to see what was going on.  John told them what happened with the Hunter and their leader.  Soon the transfer was complete.  Elysia awoke and saw the former Hunter lying there, then he got up and began to exit.  "Wait."  she said.  "I, I want to thank you for saving my life."

"Don't mention it."  he said.  "Now, I have to convince Kathra I'm still with her."

"But, why?  I know she raised you, but don't you think--"

"I'll make sure she doesn't come back."  he said to her gently. "Besides, I'll make sure I return."

"Jothee."  D'Argo called.  "Jothee, I,--"

"Father, I know what you're going to say.  I know I disappointed you by joining Kathra,--"

"It wasn't your fault.  You were a child, you needed security."  he said. "You just found it in the wrong place."

"I only wish we could take back the years stolen from us."  he replied. He then turned to John.  "The disk I gave you is information on your homeworld.  I managed to slip it out of the scanner before the guards got a hold of it."

"So it has everything on Earth?"  John asked.

"Everything except the location, I'm afraid."  he said.  "I had to make sure Kathra couldn't find it.  I'm sorry."

"Forget about it, I can wait."  John replied.  "So, what changed your mind about her?"

"What you said, and everything I heard in the breeder chambers, and in the throne room when your friends confronted her.  A good thing I made sure I was doing the right thing."

"Wait a minute, the force field disruption, my friends finding me, that was all you?"

"I can't make up for the lives I destroyed,"  he explained.  "But at least I managed to try and atone for my actions." 

There was a slight pause.  "I have to go now."  he said.  "But don't worry, I'll be back."

He then walked out of the fortress.

*****

Aboard the Saviour, Kathra was summoning her generals when a buzz came up on the communications screen.  She activated the screen, it was the Hunter.  "Hunter, we're waiting for you."  she said.  "Approach me now."

He lifted up the blood-stained blade.  Kathra activated something that scanned the blade.  "You've done as I said."

"The others had escaped, unfortunately."  he replied.  "I found the scanner in the fortress destroyed as well."

"Destroyed?  Was there any information in the scanner?"

"Not that I could find.  Everything was deleted."

"Damn those rebels!"  she cried.  "General Hunter, here are your new orders; find the human, capture the human and bring him to me on Alpha Triad alive!  That is all." 

The screen went blank, the Hunter turned to his newfound friends.  "Well, she bought it."  he said. "I never thought I'd live to see the day that one of Kathra's minions would help us."  Arron said.

"Omega Prime is now free, thanks to you and your comrades, John Crichton."  Elysia said.  "Unfortunately, Kathra still has many worlds under her rule, and she is still after your genetic code."

"Not a problem."  John said.  "We'll fight alongside you."

"What?"  Elysia asked.  "I apprecitate your offer to help us, but we couldn't let you help more than you already have."

"Hey, I still have to find my way home, remember?"  he said.  "So do the others aboard Moya.  You'll tell us the world, and we'll help liberate it.  Deal?"

"Well,"  Elysia started.  "We will require star charts."

"Not a problem."  Jothee said.  "I have plenty of star charts from Kathra's old archives with me."

"Then you're coming too?"  John asked.

"I have a lot of catching up to do with my father."  he said.  "Plus, I still need to atone."

"Then it's settled."  John said.  "Jothee and Elysia are coming with us."

"We will miss you, Elysia."  Arron said.

"You will take command until I return."  she replied.  "This fortress is useful for a new base."  They all headed towards the transport pod.  "So, are there more on board the Leviathan?"  Jothee asked.

"Yep,"  John replied.  "One Hynerian pain in the neck and a Nebari. They'll be thrilled to meet you."

*****

On board Moya, Jothee and Elysia were introduced to Rygel and Chiana with less than satisfying results on Rygel's part.  "Great, just what we need,"  he said.  "More mouths to feed."

"Oh, don't worry about that,"  Jothee said.  "When worse comes to worse, we can always eat you, even if some of us do prefer poison over arrogant Hynerian hide."

"Don't tempt me."  Rygel warned.

"Or what, Your Miserableness?"  Jothee shot back.  "You'll throw a tantrum?"  Rygel stared at him and left miserably. 

"That boy obviously never learned any manners."  he mumbled to himself. 

The others laughed; perhaps for the first time in a while.  "I am pleased to say that this is the beginning of a wonderous voyage."   Pilot said.

"Tell me something, Pilot."  Jothee said.  "I've always wondered about Leviathans and how they reproduce.  Do they breed on their own or do they require the pilots to help them along?"  Pilot looked shocked, and everyone else looked curious.  "Are you saying that I'm responsible for Moya......."  He couldn't finish the sentence. 

Everyone laughed even harder.  This was indeed the beginning of a wonderous voyage, they thought.  Pilot immediately came out of his trance.  "Attention,"  he said.  "We are preparing for Starburst."  And the crew of Moya went off on a new adventure.

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