by Karolyn Gray
ScifiBB/Chat Handle: Gray3
Rating: PG-13 (language, violence)
Synopsis: Transporting aliens to a colony reveals a deadly secret.
Spoilers: None
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.
*****
Prologue
Zladren 3 (Sou'Kha Homeworld), Sarhan Expanse (In the Region to become known
as the Uncharted Territories) 1165 BC (Terran)
His blue eyes glittered coldly behind the protection of the goggles as he
watched the dust cloud grow denser before him, obliterating the plains below.
Unforgiving. Remorseless. Just as their enemies had been.
As the brown clouds erased his view of the plains he sighed. Gone. Just like
his people. His family. His one love. The Hosts. Gone, and yet still there.
Hidden within him.
They would return. He would see to it. It would only be a matter of time. He
and his followers had plenty of that.
He felt more than heard the other come stand beside him.
'She is ready?' He asked.
'Yes.' Came the response, full of an unexpected trepidation. He turned to
take in the dark skinned female with a curious expression. Unlike himself,
she wore nothing to protect herself against the biting dust and wind save her
simple servant's clothes.
'You understand the risk, do you not?' The Sou'Kha known as Ter'sa Arg'ah
asked.
'I must know that this is what must be!' He replied.
"Very well, Advarpeyn." Arg'ah spoke verbally for the first time. The Sou'Kha
bowed her head and gestured for him to follow her into the crumbling temple.
Once inside Arg'ah quickly led him to the last undamaged chamber of the
temple. There awaited an old woman of such age that her black skin had become
nearly light gray and her once luminescent blue eyes were now the shade of
sapphire. Beside her stood a young female, all of six cycles, watching
intently with bright eyes.
"I have brought him as you directed, Zhakash." Arg'ah said.
The old woman nodded, hissing as her eyes squeezed shut as if in pain.
Advarpeyn bowed deeply out of respect to old seeress, knowing her kind were a
rare breed even amongst the spiritual Sou'Kha.
"Listen to this final quest I have to tell, Advarpeyn, and use it's wisdom
well.
"I see a blue jewel in the barren sea of night, peopled by those in your
image. From here shall come the future, awakened by the past. The avatar
arisen once more. Though of humble lands they shall become legions unto him.
He who once was and is again shall burn the heavens with the truth of a
thousand generations with the visage of one long dead. Thus begins the end
anew."
Advarpeyn blinked once, uncertain whether the old one was finished. After a moments more wait in silence he nodded. He had his answer, but there meaning would take time to discover. Time he could no longer spend here. "Thank you."
Zhakash merely bowed her head and gestured. Advarpeyn turned to leave, hearing steps of Arg'ah and the child follow him. Though he regretted it, he knew that the old seer would face her final moments alone. It was their way, the way of the Sou'Kha. They had served faithfully and would continue to do so.
The Treh were coming. He had to escape before he was discovered. Before their darkness destroyed him along with this world.
Alone, Zhakash slumped over gasping in pain. A smile came to her lips as she exhaled her last words. "The dark..."
On to part 1
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