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Onboard Moya, Somewhere in Hynerian Space
Stark wasn’t sure what Chiana had said to the others but he’d been left alone after the transport pod reached Moya. He’d collected his things from the transport pod, thanked Chiana again, and then gone to his old quarters and collapsed in his old bed for a time. He’d arisen eventually, unsure how much time had passed, and made his way to the center chamber looking for something to eat. He was walking slowly and trailing a hand along Moya’s bulkhead trying to focus on the familiar but unfamiliar feeling and didn’t notice his shipmate until he nearly crashed into the other man.
“Heard you were back. You really been on Earth, Astro?” Crichton asked, reaching out to steady Stark when he stumbled.
“I told you that before,” Stark said tiredly, shaking off Crichton’s hand. “I told you it was Maryland. You didn’t listen. And Chiana told you. Yes. It was Earth but it wasn’t your Earth and I know it doesn’t make sense but nothing in our lives has ever made sense, Crichton. Nothing in our lives ever will. The universe is always strange and often cruel and it’s better to accept that.” Stark was trying to accept it. It just wasn’t going that well.
“You ok, Stark? Need a nap? Maybe we can put you down with Deke. Tuck you in. Have the DRDs play something soothing.”
“I’m not a child,” Stark snapped. He did need sleep. He’d hoped it would come easier here but he’d tried to sleep and his old quarters had proved no more restful than his apartment had been of late. His mind wouldn’t quiet enough to let him rest properly.
“Hey,” Crichton said, hands up in a gesture of peace. “I know. And I know everything sucks right now. I talked to Chi. And I know you’re tired. Noranti’s probably got something to help you sleep if you want. You look like dren.”
Stark flinched. “So everyone keeps telling me.”
“Maybe you should listen, man. Ok. No naps right now. You wanna see the kid? Aeryn’s got him in the maintenance bay, poking at her prowler.”
“I was looking for food,” Stark confessed. “But I would, yes. You’re all well? All three of you?”
“He’s growin’ like a weed,” Crichton said proudly. “Aeryn’s great. We’re good, man. Everything’s good. C’mon, come say hi, then we’ll get you some food. I think Noranti’s making something later but we’ve got options if you aren’t up for her concoctions just yet.”
“I’ve had worse,” Stark said. “I can wait for food. I haven’t been eating much lately.”
“I can tell,” Crichton told him. He was frowning but his voice was gentle. He’d seen Stark in a similar state before. More than once. “I think there’s a joke about you already being pretty light I could be making here.”
“You’ve tried before,” Stark said. Another time he might have smiled. For now at least his expression relaxed a bit. “More than once.”
“I’m perfecting it,” Crichton said with a grin. “C’mon then, Deke’s been waiting to see his Uncle Stark.”
Stark made a noncommittal noise but trailed after Crichton all the same. He did want to see the baby and he wanted to see Aeryn. He just wasn’t entirely sure either was truly looking forward to seeing him. He didn't even want to see himself. Why would anyone else want to?
He’d been handed the baby by Aeryn without hesitation. That came as a bit of a surprise to Stark. Perhaps Crichton had arranged it earlier.
“He likes you,” Crichton said. “Told you he’d been waiting to see you.”
“He’s watching the light hit the mask,” Stark corrected, watching the baby carefully. “It’s just new to him.”
“You’re new to him. But he likes you. Sometimes he screams when people try and hold him.”
“Sometimes he screams when I try and hold him,” Aeryn muttered. He’d been fine, of course, when they came in and she’d been explaining prowler maintenance to him.
“I’m glad you didn’t scream,” Stark told little D’Argo very seriously. “We… No. I have a friend.” There was no ‘we’ now. “Someone from the island has a child. He looks a bit like Rygel. The child. Cuter. He’s quiet.”
“I thought you were on Earth,” Aeryn said, wiping her hands as she walked back over to them.
“It’s not the same Earth,” Stark said. “It’s…it’s not the same one you’ve been to. It’s complicated.” He’d never known how to explain the island to the others. That’s why he’d never tried. The baby, probably sensing his discomfort, began to fuss and Stark quickly handed him to Crichton with a stammered apology.
“You’re fine, Astro,” Crichton said.
“I’m not,” Stark said. “Or I wouldn’t be here.”
The whirring of Rygel’s thronesled behind him was the only warning Stark had of his approach. But at least he had warning before confronted by a small, green, floating alien.
“They said you were back! Good.”
Stark stared back at him in confusion. That wasn’t the reaction he’d expected.
“You might be useful,” Rygel continued. “While I’m retaking my throne. You’ve been useful in the past, on occasion.”
Stark sighed. “I’m not here for that.” His experiences with people on thrones had not been good ones.
“Of course you are,” Rygel sniffed. “My wife is arranging a meeting with supporters. You can accompany me. It will look good, having a Banik sl-”
“Don’t,” Stark snarled. “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it.”
“Still so sensitive. You won’t speak, of course, during the meeting.”
“I’m not going! I’m not yours to order around. Not anyone’s. Not a prop. Let me be.”
Pilot’s den was empty, thankfully, save for the occupant who could never leave and a handful of DRDs busy about their tasks. One bumped Stark’s foot gently when he stopped in front of the console.
“I should thank you, again,” he said quietly. “For letting me come back.”
“Moya and I are agreed you will always have a place onboard,” Pilot said. “Thanks are unnecessary.”
“You have them anyway. May I stay in here for a while?” There was a quiet hum to Moya’s corridors that increased in here. It was soothing.
“Did you need assistance?” Pilot asked.
“No. Just somewhere to be. I won’t get in your way. And I could go somewhere else if you prefer. It’s fine. I…it’s a big ship. There’s plenty of room. Plenty of places to go.”
Pilot waved one purple claw. “You are welcome to remain. You do not need to ask.”
“I don’t…I just want to be sure I’m not unwanted.”
“Moya wants me to assure you,” Pilot said carefully as he translated feelings from the ship into words slow enough to be understood, “that you will never be unwanted here. She is glad you’ve returned.”
“Thank you. Both of you.” Stark laid a hand on the console in front of him for a long moment. “I’ll…where can I stay out of the way?”
“We can work around you. Wherever you like. And…Moya would like hear more of your island. As would I. If you do not mind.”
There was a spot atop the console where Stark had perched before and he settled himself there, knees drawn to his chest, before starting to speak. “What would you like to know?”
[NFB for distance while the saddest alien remains in space. He does continue to have his phone on him though.]
“Heard you were back. You really been on Earth, Astro?” Crichton asked, reaching out to steady Stark when he stumbled.
“I told you that before,” Stark said tiredly, shaking off Crichton’s hand. “I told you it was Maryland. You didn’t listen. And Chiana told you. Yes. It was Earth but it wasn’t your Earth and I know it doesn’t make sense but nothing in our lives has ever made sense, Crichton. Nothing in our lives ever will. The universe is always strange and often cruel and it’s better to accept that.” Stark was trying to accept it. It just wasn’t going that well.
“You ok, Stark? Need a nap? Maybe we can put you down with Deke. Tuck you in. Have the DRDs play something soothing.”
“I’m not a child,” Stark snapped. He did need sleep. He’d hoped it would come easier here but he’d tried to sleep and his old quarters had proved no more restful than his apartment had been of late. His mind wouldn’t quiet enough to let him rest properly.
“Hey,” Crichton said, hands up in a gesture of peace. “I know. And I know everything sucks right now. I talked to Chi. And I know you’re tired. Noranti’s probably got something to help you sleep if you want. You look like dren.”
Stark flinched. “So everyone keeps telling me.”
“Maybe you should listen, man. Ok. No naps right now. You wanna see the kid? Aeryn’s got him in the maintenance bay, poking at her prowler.”
“I was looking for food,” Stark confessed. “But I would, yes. You’re all well? All three of you?”
“He’s growin’ like a weed,” Crichton said proudly. “Aeryn’s great. We’re good, man. Everything’s good. C’mon, come say hi, then we’ll get you some food. I think Noranti’s making something later but we’ve got options if you aren’t up for her concoctions just yet.”
“I’ve had worse,” Stark said. “I can wait for food. I haven’t been eating much lately.”
“I can tell,” Crichton told him. He was frowning but his voice was gentle. He’d seen Stark in a similar state before. More than once. “I think there’s a joke about you already being pretty light I could be making here.”
“You’ve tried before,” Stark said. Another time he might have smiled. For now at least his expression relaxed a bit. “More than once.”
“I’m perfecting it,” Crichton said with a grin. “C’mon then, Deke’s been waiting to see his Uncle Stark.”
Stark made a noncommittal noise but trailed after Crichton all the same. He did want to see the baby and he wanted to see Aeryn. He just wasn’t entirely sure either was truly looking forward to seeing him. He didn't even want to see himself. Why would anyone else want to?
He’d been handed the baby by Aeryn without hesitation. That came as a bit of a surprise to Stark. Perhaps Crichton had arranged it earlier.
“He likes you,” Crichton said. “Told you he’d been waiting to see you.”
“He’s watching the light hit the mask,” Stark corrected, watching the baby carefully. “It’s just new to him.”
“You’re new to him. But he likes you. Sometimes he screams when people try and hold him.”
“Sometimes he screams when I try and hold him,” Aeryn muttered. He’d been fine, of course, when they came in and she’d been explaining prowler maintenance to him.
“I’m glad you didn’t scream,” Stark told little D’Argo very seriously. “We… No. I have a friend.” There was no ‘we’ now. “Someone from the island has a child. He looks a bit like Rygel. The child. Cuter. He’s quiet.”
“I thought you were on Earth,” Aeryn said, wiping her hands as she walked back over to them.
“It’s not the same Earth,” Stark said. “It’s…it’s not the same one you’ve been to. It’s complicated.” He’d never known how to explain the island to the others. That’s why he’d never tried. The baby, probably sensing his discomfort, began to fuss and Stark quickly handed him to Crichton with a stammered apology.
“You’re fine, Astro,” Crichton said.
“I’m not,” Stark said. “Or I wouldn’t be here.”
The whirring of Rygel’s thronesled behind him was the only warning Stark had of his approach. But at least he had warning before confronted by a small, green, floating alien.
“They said you were back! Good.”
Stark stared back at him in confusion. That wasn’t the reaction he’d expected.
“You might be useful,” Rygel continued. “While I’m retaking my throne. You’ve been useful in the past, on occasion.”
Stark sighed. “I’m not here for that.” His experiences with people on thrones had not been good ones.
“Of course you are,” Rygel sniffed. “My wife is arranging a meeting with supporters. You can accompany me. It will look good, having a Banik sl-”
“Don’t,” Stark snarled. “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it.”
“Still so sensitive. You won’t speak, of course, during the meeting.”
“I’m not going! I’m not yours to order around. Not anyone’s. Not a prop. Let me be.”
Pilot’s den was empty, thankfully, save for the occupant who could never leave and a handful of DRDs busy about their tasks. One bumped Stark’s foot gently when he stopped in front of the console.
“I should thank you, again,” he said quietly. “For letting me come back.”
“Moya and I are agreed you will always have a place onboard,” Pilot said. “Thanks are unnecessary.”
“You have them anyway. May I stay in here for a while?” There was a quiet hum to Moya’s corridors that increased in here. It was soothing.
“Did you need assistance?” Pilot asked.
“No. Just somewhere to be. I won’t get in your way. And I could go somewhere else if you prefer. It’s fine. I…it’s a big ship. There’s plenty of room. Plenty of places to go.”
Pilot waved one purple claw. “You are welcome to remain. You do not need to ask.”
“I don’t…I just want to be sure I’m not unwanted.”
“Moya wants me to assure you,” Pilot said carefully as he translated feelings from the ship into words slow enough to be understood, “that you will never be unwanted here. She is glad you’ve returned.”
“Thank you. Both of you.” Stark laid a hand on the console in front of him for a long moment. “I’ll…where can I stay out of the way?”
“We can work around you. Wherever you like. And…Moya would like hear more of your island. As would I. If you do not mind.”
There was a spot atop the console where Stark had perched before and he settled himself there, knees drawn to his chest, before starting to speak. “What would you like to know?”
[NFB for distance while the saddest alien remains in space. He does continue to have his phone on him though.]