Disclaimer: The characters and situations of 'Farscape' depicted in this story are legal property of Rockne S. O'Bannon, Brian Henson, Jim Henson Corp., Hallmark Entertainment, Nine Networks, The SciFi Channel, and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement intended.
Spoilers - up to The Clockwork Nebari
Summary - Shortly after their zombie-near-brush with the Nebari, Moya and her crew have to get some much needed supplies and medicine. Rygel contacts a merchant on a near-by planet, but when he informs Aeryn and John that the Sebacean-Looking species does not react friendly to equality, John has a hard time calming the Ex-Peacekeeper - until she finds out what Rygel failed to explain of who is in charge on the planet. Perhaps Aeryn can get back at John's alpha-male behaviour over a cycle ago?
NC-17 Rated
Comments are welcome at
CONUNDRUM
Rygel, Dominar of over six billion subjects, sped in his thronesled through the tiers of Moya. Behind him he could hear the scuffle of boots and Officer Sun's voice reverberating through the Leviathan.
"Rygel! RYGEL, come back here, you little slimeball! You are dead!" Aeryn yelled and came to a sudden halt behind a bend in the corridor.
Rygel had safely locked himself behind his cell's door, and watched in amusement when John Crichton bumped into Officer Sun, the impact of his impetus sending them both sprawling on the floor. John, with the instinct of his linebacker experience from high school, jerked his body around and took the brunt of the fall. However, the impact of Aeryn's body efficiently knocked the wind out of his lungs.
Rygel watched the flailing limbs of both and grinned, but quickly recovered from that and harumphed. "Ahhh…Peacekeeper, have you now found a more enjoyable pastime to relieve your anger?!" he taunted and watched breathlessly at how quickly the Ex-Peacekeeper was on her feet and at his throat. He should have seen it coming, but he hadn't reacted quickly enough.
"Oh, Rygel, I have," Aeryn breathed softly and seductively, "It will give me much pleasure to squeeze this hand of mine around your little non-existent throat and watch you die a slow and agonising death!"
"Aeryn!" John's voice came from behind, and she quickly raised her free hand and waved it at him dismissively.
"Stay out of it, Crichton. This is between me and Spanky here!" Aeryn said, not leaving her eyes off the hapless Dominar.
John and Rygel exchanged a look with each other. Had Aeryn just used one of my favourite nicknames for Ryg? John asked himself and from the surprised look on the dominar's face, he knew the answer.
"Spanky?" John and Rygel asked in unison, and Aeryn momentarily loosened her grip on the Hynerian. "You just said Spanky?"
"I did not, Crichton, and now stay out of it." Aeryn growled and focused back on Rygel. John grinned at that. Now this could be fun, John thought and decided to rib her a bit - verbally of course.
"Sunshine, you most certainly did!" John breathed right into her ear and her head snapped up.
"Don't be so frelling ridiculous, Crichton. My memory is not in any way impaired, and I certainly DID NOT call Rygel Spanky," she stated and returned her look to the Hynerian whose throat was still clutched in Aeryn's hand.
"You did," John retorted, his grin spreading all over his face.
"Did not!" Aeryn spat back.
"Did!" John taunted, and it was obvious he was enjoying that childish game immensely.
"Did NOT!" Aeryn spun around and put her hands on her hips. "Crichton, don't be so frelling obnoxious. I did not call Rygel Spanky. Why should I ever call him that ridiculous name you are so fond of calling him?"
John suppressed a laugh and looked over at Rygel who had, upon his release, moved his thronesled farther away from the door.
"You owe me one, Buckwheat," he said and extended his hand through the bars of the cell towards him. Human and Hynerian exchanged the Uncharted Territories' version of a high-five.
Aeryn watched their exchange and shook her head. How come John always knows how to distract me? she asked herself angrily and tapped her foot. A gesture she had found herself doing a lot lately, which of course made her more irritated. Silently, she watched John's retreating back and snorted before she followed Crichton down the corridor and back to the flightdeck where they both had come from.
The transport pod was still waiting and D'Argo, Zhaan and Chiana were chatting quietly with each other. Aeryn shook her head when she noticed that John had already climbed into the pilot's seat. Trudging angrily up the ladder, she ignored Chiana's chuckle and her gaze fell onto the garment that she had thrown onto the floor of the pod earlier before she had tried to kill Rygel.
"If you all think I'll wear that, you're sadly mistaken," she growled, as she swooped the garment up into her fist and threw it into the back of the pod.
"Aeryn, if it's customary for females to wear such dresses, then yes, you have to wear it," Zhaan softly replied, barely hiding a chuckle herself. "Besides, some of us wouldn't mind wearing these, but as you and Crichton are the only Sebacean looking beings onboard, you'll have to do as the customs of this planet describe."
Zhaan met the death glare of the Ex-Peacekeeper with a calm look of her own.
"Aeryn, we did not make the rules. If it is customary for females to wear garments so ..." She quickly bit down on the word she wanted to use. Flimsy is the right word, she thought and mentally shook herself. "eh...revealing, then yes, you have to wear it. John wouldn't put up such a fight if it were him ..."
"You bet I would, Blue," came John's voice from inside and he appeared in the entrance of the pod. "That thing doesn't even deserve to be called dress."
Aeryn raised an eyebrow and gave Zhaan her best 'What did I tell you look?' and Zhaan suppressed a chuckle. "Perhaps men are more conscious of their bodies than females are," she commented, which sent Aeryn's eyebrows into a scowl.
John noticed what Zhaan was trying to do and he was up for the challenge.
"Right, Blue, you are absolutely right. Males, especially human males, are very conscious of their bodies, and only females have the courage to reveal themselves this much." He gave Aeryn a sideways glance and added. "Of course, Aeryn, if you think as a Peacekeeper female you are not that darin'..."
"Shut up, both of you!" Aeryn shouted and entered the pod, her ponytail swinging wildly behind her.
John gave the others a crooked smile and Zhaan a thumb's up. "Never fails, even with Miss Tough Peacekeeper here," he chuckled, before he followed Aeryn back into the pod.
The silence in the transport pod was icy but John had grown accustomed to Aeryn's broodings over the last two cycles. While Aeryn piloted the transport, John stood up and walked into the back of the pod. His eyes fell onto the discarded garment. He picked up and shook out the dress.
"Jeesh," John muttered under his breath. This sure is flimsy, he thought as he inspected the dress. The fabric looked like see-through silk and John estimated it only covered a woman's breasts and hips - and barely that.
John's grin soon turned into a frown. I wouldn't mind seeing Aeryn in that, that's for sure. But only in the privacy of her quarters or mine and definitely not publicly!
He balled the dress up in his fist and walked back to the cockpit. Aeryn, with a sideways glance, noticed the dress and her eyes riveted back to the controls.
"If you're so fond of that thing," she spat out. "I'd consider seeing you wearing it."
John grinned, then shook his head. "I don't think so, and I don't think you'll be wearing it either, " he said and stuffed the garment under his seat. The action and the last remark was not lost on her and her curiosity was piqued.
"Why is that, Crichton?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.
"Because," John squeezed himself into his seat again, "That dress shows off way too much skin. Any male would ogle you up and down in that."
Aeryn paused in what she was doing and watched him open-mouthed. What did he mean? she asked herself. Was he ... jealous? Quickly recovering from her surprise, she looked back onto the controls and muttered, "What's it to you, Crichton?" she asked, fearing another trick from the human. "Perhaps I like being ogled at by males ..."
John's head snapped up, and it was evident that her words had bothered him.
"No, you don't!" he stated firmly, his jaw tightly set. "Aeryn, this isn't a game. If Rygel's assumptions are true and the dress is a sure indicator for that, you are free game for any male on that planet down there. I won't let them claim you or whatever they do to their females."
"Crichton, I can take care of myself. I don't need a male who tries to protect me..."
"In a dress like that, you will, Miss Sun," John retorted quickly. "Okay, I give, I tricked you with the dress before, but seeing how revealing it is, I don't think it is such a good idea after all."
When he saw her quirked eyebrow, he sighed. "Aeryn, look. I don't want you to get hurt. You are a very beautiful woman and wearing something like that dress..." his words stuck in his throat.
Holy Shit, did I just tell her she is beautiful? he asked himself and the uncertain look in her eyes was all the answer he needed.
"Umm.. Aeryn ... just forget about the dress for a moment. I know you would feel uncomfortable. Remember the day when we were on the false Earth and you were wearing an Earth dress? You said it was revealing and men were ogling you..."
Aeryn avoided his eyes and bit her lower lip. Yes, I remember, she thought silently and nodded for John to see. 'Why are they all looking at me?' she had asked and John's reply had shaken her as much as it had now: 'Because you're beautiful'.
They both lapsed into silence and they did not exchange another word with each other till Aeryn had landed the pod.
Back on Moya, the rest of the crew had gathered for a small snack in the main chamber. Chiana was still curious about the planet, but especially the clothes that the females wore, so she milked Rygel for what it was worth.
"So, Ryg, how come you know all this stuff?" Chiana asked, popping a food cube into the Hynerian's mouth.
Rygel harumphed but quickly chewed down the food cube and swallowed. "Well, the dealer I have been in contact with told me that they have special restrictions on their planet so I asked about them and related them to Aeryn and Crichton." He smacked his lips and started to eat another food cube.
"Yeah, but what are the restrictions? I mean, for all we know Aeryn could get into trouble there. She is not a submissive female to say the least..." Chiana let her voice trail away, trying to imagine Aeryn being submissive. Not by a long shot, she told herself.
The little Dominar almost choked on his food. "Who said Aeryn had to be submissive?"
Zhaan, D'Argo and Chiana watched him. "You said," D'Argo replied in a growl.
"Whatever gave you that idea, Luxan?" Rygel asked. "I only said they have certain rules and that they don't believe in equality."
"Well, from the dress the dealer sent up, I think it is obvious that females on this planet are submissive. They are owned by males..." Zhaan stated calmly, but with a certain gleam in her eyes.
"I implied no such thing. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Whereas the females do dress in a very provocative manner, it is the males who wait upon them hand and foot and of course, have other duties to perform ..."
"You mean," Chiana gasped and clutched one of his earbrows, "John is Aeryn's slave for the remainder of their stay planet-side?"
D'Argo and Zhaan first looked at Rygel then exchanged a look with each other. They burst out laughing.
"Does he know?" D'Argo asked.
"What the yotz do you think? That I would tell him and spoil the surprise?" Rygel deadpanned and there was more laughter in the main chamber from all four.