Stock transition. Transport pod en route. John's voice over before cutting to pod interior.
John pilots from the right seat, Noranti hovering, literally, behind him.
John pauses a beat for a response. Noranti hovers closer, arms outstretched before her, hands hovering over his shoulders.
Cut to close on John's slightly irritated expression, Noranti's withered palms hovering fractionally above his shoulders.
She moves her hands away and leans in over his left shoulder.
At Noranti's prompting, images of Aeryn flicker across John's mind's-eye.
[Shot list: DWTB/A1: John and Aeryn kissing on the dance floor at the 'wedding reception'; John kissing the elusive Aeryn in the hangar bay. UNAIRED S4: John nuzzles Aeryn's neck. DWTB/TAG: Aeryn's final goodbye from the prowler. ITLD2WiSC/Tag: Close profile of Aeryn, eyes downcast. DMD/1: John/Harvey & Aeryn kiss in the neural cluster. UNAIRED S4: Close-up 2-shot, J&A, his fingers brushing her lips. DWTB/A1: J&A kissing, wedding reception.]
Her hands return to his shoulders, kneading slightly while he recovers from being blind-sided by the rush of memories.
He fishes around in his jacket pocket, withdrawing something while her fingers continue to work on his shoulders.
He brings cupped hands to his face and inhales deeply, triggering the same flood of memories. Fade in from white-out and John rubs his face against his cupped hands, rubs his nose and his eyes. Shaking his head as he lifts it.
Close on Pilot's right claws, both contained inside large manacles and resting idle on the console. Sound of heavy menacing breathing in the background. Pilot's voice, tentatively responding as shot pans left.
Scene cuts between the Den and the transport pod with some dialogue over comms in each shot.
Brief look at a very relaxed John aboard the pod.
Noranti laughs silently.
In the Den we get a shot of Sikozu and Chiana, both slumped unconscious on the floor of the Den, arms also encased in the heavy manacles. Sound of Noranti laughing over comms before cutting back to the Pod. John glances over his shoulder, appreciating this reception of his wit. They're 'both' a little stoned it seems. [John's mental state translated to hers? We didn't see her take anything. Hm.]
Shot pulling back from close on Pilot reveals the heavy breathing 'company'. Abruptly the company exudes a heavy cutting blade from an armored gauntlet with a 'snicking' sound. Pilot misses only a beat, a nervous glance toward the blade.
Appropriately cautioned, John innocently fishes for more information.
Long on the Den showing the two girls slumped at the foot of the console and two dark armored figures standing before the restrained Pilot.
John disengages comms, stands and crosses to the forward control station.
A beat and John cocks his head, spying something through the forward portal.
Close on forward portal, the view into space as the pod rises over Moya's nose. A large beetle-like ship crouches against her hull on the hamman side.
Cut to close on John as he examines the ship, eyes hard. Appropriately dramatic music rises over the silence and John, oddly, begins to 'sing along' with the music, tongue matching the instrumental beat as he moves quickly to the back of the pod.
Scene cuts between Command, the Den and the transport pod.
Close on the strategy table. The same wanted holo-beacon from Crichton Kicks. Grayza sending out the reward announcement. As she speaks, cut to long across the floor of Command. Aeryn, lying on her side, arms trapped in a pair of heavy manacles, abruptly resumes consciousness. Behind her, D'Argo, arms similarly restrained, sits propped against the table.
Aeryn briefly examines the cuffs then makes to crawl toward D'Argo.
Before Grayza can finish, cut to long across Command, two armored figures in the room, one leaning over the beacon, another entering carrying a large cylinder. When the intruders speak their voices are muffled, distorted by the armored full head pieces they wear.
In the pod, Noranti is finishing tying her left foot to the pod controls. John testing the chakkan oil cartridge of his pistol with his tongue before slamming it back into place.
Noranti eyes a small blob of something in her fingers.
Curtly responding as she pops it into her mouth, adjusting the cuffs of the pressure suit he's pulled on. [Tearing sound reminds us someone invented Velcro in the UTs.]
On Command, the lead invader, a fully armored form with three red illuminated stripes on his left shoulder; a 'cape' over the right, watches the approaching pod through the forward portal [CGI element; pod transiting a blue/white nebula cloud].
Out the forward portal, the transport pod approaches close enough to cause vibration before arcing past and out of sight.
The transport pod rockets toward the invading vessel crouched against Moya's hull, intercept course. Seconds later the pod impacts with the vessel, massive explosion results and the invading vessel fragments, blowing outward.
Everyone standing staggers, raising arms to shield against the intense fireball.
Whiteout to...
Two of the invaders, Axikor and an unnamed henchman stand over D'Argo and Aeryn.
D'Argo grins; nodding slightly. [And yep. That's pride.]
[ As each bad guy talks, the red 'eyes' in his helmet flash in sync with his words. ]
Aeryn's eyebrows arch grandly, her head cocks to the side, seems in grudging and surprised agreement with that.
Outfitted in full pressure suit and helmet, Crichton crawls through a small access hatch into the narrow confines of a duct, he pulls his legs inside and waits for the hatch to seal. The sound of air hissing as the space pressurizes. He releases the seal on the helmet, lifts the faceplate and removes it, sighing quietly as he looks around the darkened space.
Pan down from the arched ceiling to two of the henchman moving through an open doorway.
Only one bounty hunter remains in Command, guarding three of Moya's crew. Aeryn sits off his right shoulder, looking up from a chair pushed up to the rear control console, her manacled wrists resting atop.
Axikor taps a few keys on a control pad strapped to his forearm, the tapping accompanied by electronic beeping and then an abrupt high-pitched electronic 'zapping' sound. Aeryn winces in obvious discomfort, stifling a moan.
Propped on top of the strategy table, Rygel, his body contained inside one of the manacles with only his head showing above the 'wrist' opening, decides this is a good time to let his moral indignation show.
Axikor snags a comms badge from the edge of the strategy table. He walks toward D'Argo who is kneeling on the floor, manacled wrists resting on one of the small backless chairs.
Axikor taps the keypad on his forearm again. The electronic 'zapping' sound is followed by D'Argo's involuntary flinch of pain.
John arrives 'above' Command, crawling through the narrow confines of the duct. He peers down through a grating in the ceiling, the light from below illuminating his face.
The scene cuts between Command and the air duct, John watching through the grating, overhearing the conversation below.
The bounty hunter raises his arm; a thick blade pops from the armor encasing his forearm with a loud 'snicking' sound. He brings the edge of the blade close to D'Argo's face.
D'Argo barely bothers to scowl. Axikor is boring him.
Axikor moves back to the table, blindly tapping the purloined comms badge.
Axikor taps the keypad.
Electronic 'zapping' sound and Aeryn flinches badly, a groan of pain leaking through gritted teeth. In the duct John looses Winona, but a henchman arrives before he can do anything rash.
John eyes the pistol with discontent, returning it to his holster.
Lying on his side in the duct, John's attention seems split between what's going on below him and the small laka carcass being twirled in his fingers.
The Henchman turns to leave. In the duct, John presses the laka to his face and inhales quietly; random images of Aeryn flit across his mind's-eye.
[And here is where I get 'really' confused. [Shot List: IP2IA/Tag: Aeryn weeps over a very deceased John Crichton. IP2IA/CO: Aeryn with 'Harvey's' hand wrapped tightly around her throat. PROMISES/CO: John holds a very ill Aeryn in his arms, before the really bad news. IP1DD/Tag or IP2IA/CO: Close on Aeryn's internal struggle, a single tear breaks. IP2IA/4: In the gun turret, Aeryn weeps for her loss. DWTB: John holds a wounded Aeryn in his arms. THM: Close on Aeryn, Moya filtering poisons. UNKS1: Aeryn.] Okay, these have to be symbolic moments and not necessarily direct memories. 'k?]
The final images fading away over John stretched on his side still sniffing quietly.
The henchman pauses at the open doorway, close on the side of his helmet as a tiny light flashes; some enhancement in his armor allowing him to overhear the small sounds that John is making in the duct.
Apparently not quietly enough because in command, even with unassisted hearing both D'Argo and Aeryn exhibit signs that they are hearing 'something' from overhead. Tense silence, both D and Aeryn look 'down' quickly. D'Argo 'sniffs' once or twice, either trying to scent John [which would be stupid] or to 'cover' the noises he's making. Axikor doesn't fall for it either way.
The henchman turns slowly, head up toward the ceiling, his enhanced hearing also detecting a slow heartbeat.
In the duct, John is getting a sense that he may have been detected and 'stills', rolling onto his back away from the open grate, breathing slow and deep, eyes rolling 'up' into his head. Riding the high as quietly as possible.
Aeryn immediately begins speaking loudly in the clicking sounds of Sebacean, D'Argo follows with the guttural sounds of his native tongue. Rygel catches on quickly and begins speaking also, his language a confusing gargle. The combination drowns out all other sounds on Command. John takes the offered cover to pull himself together and get away.
Henchman grunts an assent and departs.
Axikor growls quietly, leaning his weight against the table, scrutinizing Rygel closely, then 'hears' Rygel's thoughts.
Same thing, a bit of concentration and Axikor can 'hear' the Dominar's thoughts.
Rygel gets a bit uncomfortable having the guy looming over him and staring at him like he's a mid-afternoon snack.
One of the henchman enters around a curve, pausing as Axikor's directive filters through over comms.
In the overhead air duct, John listens in.
Axikor's orders continue over comms, providing direction to the two henchmen guarding Pilot, Chiana and Sikozu. The latter two now sitting back to back a short distance away.
One of the henchmen approaches, kneeling beside them.
Still in the ducts, John listens in.
Electronic 'zapping' sound, and Pilot groans in pain.
John backs away, regrouping.
A large black bag falls from the ceiling to the top of a cargo container; the stripped off pressure suit follows. John drops to the floor behind them, drawing his weapon before standing.
He throws the bag and the pressure suit onto the floor and edges further into the room. Noting a deactivated DRD, taps it slightly with the muzzle, no response.
Dramatic theme music builds in the silence and John again 'sings' along with the instrumental beat as he moves quickly to the closed door, crouching to the side as it swings open on his command, and slipping cautiously into the passage.
Axikor drops the comms badge onto the strategy table. It chirrups brightly.
John enters the open darkened space, Winona extended.
With nowhere to hide inside the cell, John comes to a logical and irritated conclusion.
He turns toward the sound of an opening door, and moves quickly to the side of the cell, presses his back against the wall.
One of the henchmen moves into the doorway, peers into the dark cell without entering and moves on. Appropriate menacing raspy breathing keeps John pressed to the wall until guy is gone.
Breathing again, John moves further into the cell. He kneels down, tapping the backside of the inactive red, white and blue DRD with the pistol.
1812 reactivates, antenna illuminated and chirrups worriedly.
1812 squeaks an assent. John looks up and around.
More chirruping, followed by a 'nod' of antennas, from which John takes heart. [Does he understand 1812, or is he just fakin' it?]
Axikor paces, growling angrily.
Close on 1812 working on an inactive DRD. Soft metallic clattering and pan R and up to John, back against the central nexus, working on something hidden by part of the nexus wall.
John puts down what he's working on and grimly unholsters Winona as Scorpius comes into view.
Scorpius' apparent 'sincerity' affects John enough to lower his weapon, returns to work on whatever he was working on. Scorpius takes the opportunity to move closer.
He lifts and shoulders his blunderbuss of choice, leveling the 'Gatling gun' pulse rifle at Scorpius' face.
Unfazed, Scorpius points out an important... point.
Lowering the rifle.
Short silent pause, and John hands Scorpius a pulse rifle.
John and Scorpius enter. Still only two fans operational, the third that exploded in Natural Election remains absent.. John opens comms as they move to the side of the room.
In Command, Aeryn's head pops up at the sound of the hail and a tiny smile flickers. Remainder of scene cuts between the AS and Command with some dialogue 'over comms'.
A henchman enters the chamber, walking between the two rotating fans, then moving to camera. Behind him, leveling a pulse rifle, Scorpius steps out of shadows.
Henchman turns and Scorpius fires. The rifle misfires, a chirrup signaling that it is either empty or malfunctioning.
Sighing with resignation, Scorpius turns slightly to the shadows behind him. Just a 'touch' of sarcasm in his voice.
Predictably, henchman takes the moment to gun down Scorpius, who staggers backward and drops to the floor. John steps out of shadows, leveling the massive muzzles of the 'Gatling' pulse rifle.
Heavy explosion as he fires. Henchman staggers backward, but suffers very little else in the way of ill effects, his armor serving him well. John fires twice more and henchman falls to the floor with a loud thud. Gathers himself up again with a slight snicker.
John eyes his standing opponent and... sniffs. Fires three more times in rapid succession. A loud thump and henchman remains down.
Blandly, John lowers the weapon, addressing Scorpius without turning.
Scorpius drags himself off the floor, following John to the henchman's body.
John pokes the body with the rifle, kicks it slightly. Receiving no response, he kneels over the armored form, propping the rifle beside it.
With very little effort he 'tears' the upper part of the armor off. Inside, soft, thready; orange/red flesh.
Scorpius joins in the examination of the armor. Just a couple of 'science guys' tryin' to work things out.
John stands and exits, leaving Scorpy to bitch slightly aside to himself.
Fade to Black.
On Command, Axikor is getting a bit of bad news from one of his surviving henchmen.
brief cut to AS; henchman standing over deceased henchman as he reports.
Done sneering for the moment, he directs his flunkies via comms. [And didn't anyone tell him about the whole 'plan' thing?]
Pan up from the floor where one definitely operational DRD precedes John into the room; they pass another yellow DRD, antennae lit but unmoving. John reels off their 'assets', stacking weapons.
Back propped against the central nexus, Scorpy grouses, demonstrating higher math skills.
John waggles a pulse pistol in his face.
John crouches, speaking softly to 1812.
One of the two henchmen guarding the girls and Pilot looms over Sikozu, issuing an unfriendly order.
Sikozu stands reluctantly, barely masked terror.
Henchman starts tapping the keypad on his arm, Chi cocks her head and enhanced vision engages. Xclose on Chi's eye, the gauntlet reflected there as the slowed tapping continues. Henchman raises his arm, a small 'laser' dropping on a maneuvering arm from below the gauntlet, aiming at Sikozu. Close again on Chi's eye, the laser reflected there, then a burst of white light and Sikozu 'zips' down from full size to handprint size. Cut to xclose of teeny Sikozu reflected in Chiana's eye.
Henchman taps more keys and red indicator lights flip to blue on a disk sealed into his armor.
D'Argo stands slowly, peering over his shoulder at Axikor. His voice heavy with disdain.
Rygel distracts while Aeryn and D'Argo exchange significant looks at the comms badge on the edge of the strategy table.
Aeryn leaps up, attacking Axikor, pounding him a little with her manacled arms. Axikor bashes her across the room.
Accepting the distraction, D'Argo's tongue lashes out, snags the comms badge and reels it back into his mouth, all in an instant.
Aeryn staggers back into her seat and D'Argo attacks, his blow also mainly unfelt. [ah, frell]. Axikor backhands him as well, knocking D'Argo nearly senseless to the floor. Aeryn flinches on his behalf. [oh, and here's a 'very' nice shot of D'Argo sprawled on the floor-- I love the new costume. So... red! And, uh... thin. *g* [BBQ gawks shamelessly.]]
Axikor activates his keypad, laser pops out and he 'shrinks' D'Argo to the size of a wad of gum. After looking away from the intense flash of light, Aeryn looks back and... well, gawks at the teeny little D'Argo as he struggles to his feet.
Keying the pad again, red indicator lights switch to blue on his breastplate and he grasps the raised circular protrusion and 'pulls'. Stepping closer, minding not to squash the tiny Luxan, Axikor lowers the cylinder he's pulled from his chest and uses it to scoop D'Argo from the floor-- like a vacumn, but without the noise.
Brief cut to the interior of the cylinder and D'Argo's wrists are pulled apart and fasten with a metallic clank to the sides of the cylinder.
Axikor stands, eyes the inside of the cylinder [one can never be too careful] and shoves it back into his chest. More bleeping from the keypad and the blue indicator lights shift to red. [signed, sealed and delivered].
Axikor turns to Aeryn.
Shot pans across Axikor's armored... arm, another comms badge pinned to the surface. Long, dry pause and Aeryn speaks.
Scorpius, still sitting, and John, leaning against a pillar of the nexus, listen... John's severely antsy, shifting back and forth, tiny press-ups against the pillar.
Axikor begins pressing buttons on the keypad again. Sensing a final opportunity, Aeryn hurries to give John as much information as she can.
Axikor aims the laser at her and she looks away from the flash of intense light and-- disappears.
Cut to the floor where tiny Aeryn sprawls [oopsie, another tiny foul up-- no sign of the cuffs anywhere. Both Sikozu and D'Argo shrank with cuffs intact.]
John's no longer standing beside Scorpius. Scorpius, however, is now on his feet-- motivated and looking a bit peaked-- his words a bit slurred. John sits behind him at the base of the circular opening in the nexus.
Sikozu and Rygel, pinned to the 'top' curve of the containment capsule. Rygel snoring softly. [okay, Aliens vibe anyone? Wassis name Hicks sleeps during the drop?]
Rygel continues to snore.
Shot 'rotates' and the pair is now attached to the bottom of the capsule.
Sikozu looks around a bit frantically.
Almost nicely recovered from a bit of a panic attack, soothing herself with the 'facts'.
[Rygel as DK. Bitchin'. Thanks.]
1812, attached high on Moya's curving wall, cuts through a section with his laser. John examines with approval.
Close on Scorpius, a cloud of smoke rising from his skull like it's a well-used ashtray. [*snort*]
Scowling, Scorpy moves out of shot, trailing wisps of [*snort*] smoke. [*giggling madly*].
John manipulates controls on the side of a pulse pistol, kneeling in the center of the passage.
He lays the pistol down and 'spins' it.
Stands and moves further along the passage, moving out of sight. Cut to close on 1812, still cutting through the section of wall.
[Well, okay, I don't 'know' that it's the maintenance bay, but it's a large open space, angle up on Henchman to wide open arched ceiling-- cool cut out which may be an air duct cover overhead. Neato.]
Brief cut to another henchman lurking elsewhere.
Cut to 'Devvak', entering John's rigged passage from a junction. Cut to John, propped on one arm, leaning against the wall; kneeling below and behind him, Scorpius takes aim down the passage with a pulse rifle. John quietly unholsters Winona.
Brainy henchman notes the pulse pistol lying on its side on the floor, bright red indicator light steady on the butt.
Shot of John and Scorpy, lurking, most likely on the other side of the curved junction in an adjacent passage.
Whine of pulse chamber overload draws his attention down and the miniaturizing ray pops from beneath his gauntlet.
Close on the pulse pistol as it gets shrunk and explodes with a disheartening 'pop' and a tiny waft of smoke.
1812 fires a rapid stream of pulse fire against the weakened section of wall, cutting through the final distance, freeing it to pop 'out' and into Devaak's chest, the jagged end driving in and pinning him against the opposite wall. He grunts in pain and surprise, red eyes dimming to black.
John and Scorpius move around the curve, into sight. John examines the large armored carcass pinned to the wall.
Scorpy taps the slightly protruding cylinder below the impact point of the trap.
1812 opens fire on the body, tiny pulse blasts striking below the containment cylinder.
Quick cut inside the cylinder, Chiana, her eyes white with blindness, looks up at the muted sound of pulse fire. The cylinder vibrating with the sound of each impact.
Quick cut to Axikor on the Command, red eyes flashing as he speaks.
Scorpy hands John the pulse rifle and 'extracts' the cylinder with his 'gloved' hands.
The cylinder pops free and John takes it immediately, peering inside.
Gianormous eyes peer inside the cylinder. The magnetic cuffs pinning the two women to the sides.
Sound of approaching bad guys interrupts the reunion.
John heads away, needing no encouragement from Scorpius, but he's moving at DRD speed, not wanting to leave the small machine to the bad guys.
Scorpius remains in the passage, prepared to hold off the bad guys to allow John's escape.
Running at DRD speed, John catches a pulse blast in the left calf before he can get out of sight, limping around the corner, 1812 following.
Scorpius flings his hands up, blocking the advancing henchmen and their fire, feigning a nice peaceful surrender until they are close enough, then attacking. Two futile blows against armor and the attacked henchman grabs him by the throat, pinning him to the wall beside their deceased comrade.
Three henchman in total, the one not holding Scorpius exchanges a deadly aside with his curious friend.
Fade to Black< /p >
Act opens on shot of Aeryn and Chiana inside the containment capsule. John speaks, but isn't seen initially.
Cut to the cargo bay; John sits in an alcove, a small spill of blood and 1812 by his feet, he's tying a makeshift bandage around his calf, a bit above his ankle. [At least it's not his feet and he's not in a bathroom, eh?]
He grimaces then leans over and peers inside the containment capsule which is propped on top of an overturned bucket.
John, visibly stung, reacting badly to a completely unrelated rejection.
Looks away as he fishes something from his pocket.
Hands cupped over his nose and mouth, takes a hit of laka, head spinning; cue Aeryn montage.
[Shot list: DWTB/A1: John and Aeryn kissing on the dance floor at the 'wedding reception'; John kissing the elusive Aeryn in the Hangar Bay. UNAIRED S4: John nuzzles Aeryn's neck. DWTB/TAG: Aeryn's final goobye from the prowler. ITLD2WiSC/Tag: Close profile of Aeryn, eyes downcast. DMD/1: John/Harvey & Aeryn kiss in the Neural Cluster. UNAIRED S4: Close-up 2-shot, J&A, his fingers brushing her lips. The last fading before it can be fully seen.]
Axikor struts across command, empty save for himself. Behaving as though he has the upper hand.
Soft, menacing growl from Axikor. Conversation over.
Cut to close on Noranti's sleeping face, all eyes closed, she drifts lightly, a purple cast of light on her face.
Scorpius, arms firmly manacled, is out like a light, stretched out on the strategy table. Axikor and one of his henchman eye him from the far side. Which is probably good, otherwise they'd be bound to notice Noranti floating in space just outside the forward portal.
Henchman exits, door closing behind him. Axikor prowls closer.
John walks a short length of corridor, 1812 and a yellow companion scurrying before him; pulse pistol in one hand, beer can in the other.
The capsule sways gently in John's grip, at this angle, Aeryn's on her back, legs propped up on the curve of the capsule. Chi sits a bit down and opposite, eyes closed but damp with nearly unshed tears.
Close on Scorpy, still playin' possum.
Scorpius shudders heavily, in pain, the 'zapping' sound letting us know the cause.
Small laugh at the idiocy of the question. Axikor stares at him intently, a slight musical sound alerting us to his intent to 'read' Scorpy's thoughts. [How useful would it be if the use of mind reading skills actually caused that audible noise? You're sitting there, all innocent like and you hear that 'whistling through the trees' noise, so you eye your companion, maybe slap him, "cut that out." *g*]
Scorpy gives Axikor his best disdainful look.
Axikor removes his helmet revealing completely unfamiliar features when it comes to Scarrans [but really, he's kind of cute, in a 'wish his teeth weren't so sharp' kind of way.]
Axikor replaces his helmet.
Axikor shrinks Scorpius with the same preliminary fanfare as before.
Close on a couple of DRDs placed strategically on top of cargo containers in front of the closed door. John moves around them, nice bounce in his step.
Makes a slashing motion across his throat with the side of his hand.
Stops and leans down to peer inside the beer can that's also propped on top of a stack of cargo containers.
Opens his mouth and exhales directly inside the beer can. Aeryn and Chiana flinch away, so... maybe not good... at least, hot. Idiot.
Another slashing motion across his throat.
John idly rocks the cylinder back and forth with the tips of his fingers.
Inside, Chiana and Aeryn 'enjoy' the ride.
As he moves away, he rolls the capsule with one hand. Inside Chi and Aeryn squeal unhappily as they spin 360 degrees and more.
John catches the capsule as it rolls off the edge of the cargo container, replacing it on top.
Axikor thumps his chest over the red indicator lights, turns and moves away.
The capsule rocks slightly with the motion of Axikor's movement.
D'Argo leans forward, carefully exuding the comms badge from his mouth and resting it his knee.
John loudly 'sings along' with the instrumental beat of the background music-- pushing a crate across the floor. It clangs against a smaller crate and he lets it rest, satisfied with its new position.
DRD attempts a chirrup of a reply, John hushes it.
Moving to the crate holding the beer can, scooping it up as he passes.
He props it up on the ledge of a support pillar, safely out of the way.
Axikor, alone in the Den with Pilot-- the henchmen off doing henchmen stuff. Their only company, a teeny tiny Scorpius and D'Argo in Axikor's chest.
Axikor taps a bit on his keypad and Pilot's two right arms are abruptly released.
Inside the capsule, Scorpy and D continue their conversation.
Muted sound of an alien language interrupts the answer.
D'Argo gives a disgruntled sigh, but is in obvious agreement. He leans toward the comms slightly; it chirrups in response. [lotta chirrupin' goin' on tonight.]
Leaning against a crate, John examines Winona idly.
A henchman, approaching the sealed door to the cargo bay, is clearly overhearing the last of this conversation. Enhanced hearing. Very handy.
Cut to another passageway, another henchman making his way.
John, crouched behind the cargo container, pulse rifle in hand. He turns at the sound of the door being keyed and swaying open, but remains crouched behind the containers.
Armored henchman enters, a short beat and the four DRDs perched on top of the containers open fire. Their tiny blasts result in not even a flinch. John pops up from behind the three yellow DRDs, clumsily lifts the pulse rifle and also opens fire. Guy doesn't even 'flinch'.
John lowers the rifle, waiting. Henchman starts moving toward him.
John scrambles for Plan B, turns about to head out the opposite door, nearly hobbling with his injured leg. He's immediately stalled by the appearance of the second henchman cutting him off at the pass.
Quickly reversing the rifle he slams it into the armored shoulder; effective in that it makes the guy 'flinch'.
He turns to 'hop' away, running right into the armored fist that plows into his face, driving him onto his back with a very painful sounding thud, pulse rifle skating away from lax fingers.
Fade to Black.
Close on a henchman, large dagger 'snicking' from his gauntlet, the minimizing ray popping out from below.
Cut to John, still on his back, but one hand raised, probing insulted flesh, eyeing the blood on his hand.
Veiled suspicion in his inquiry to Pilot.
Followed by a quick look at Chi and Aeryn in the capsule.
Cut to John sitting up on the deck, fingers still probing his nose gently, legs splayed in front of him. He mutters to himself mostly, voice sour.
Leaning back on his hands, propping himself up. Talking a bit louder now for the benefit of the three aforesaid henchmen looming over him.
Eyes rolling slightly, Plan C.
Close on John, thin stream of blood from nose and split lip. Very casual and relaxed.
Henchmen glare, red-eyed and silent.
More silence. John's really tired.
Red eyes barely flickering, silent, but seeming to waver. John's voice drops, soft, resigned.
Center henchman splits, right henchman keeps steady red eyes on John, the other watches the retreating henchman before turning back to John who's rather coolly eyeing the two remaining henchmen, nodding curtly with satisfaction.
Crichton's corrupted henchman stands in the open doorway, voice challenging.
Henchman's hands tighten to fists, the last word a bitten off curse. [So, more people who don't like Scarrans. Go figure.]
Axikor turns his back, dismissively but also allowing access to his keypad unseen by the compromised ... uh, henchman.
Axikor taps the keypad quickly. Behind him the henchman's armor begins to 'explode'. Huge burst from the shoulder -- Pilot gawps fearfully -- both armored knees blow out and henchman topples to the causeway.
John's two remaining guards begin to 'explode', Crichton looking up in surprise, one bloody fingertip in his mouth, looking up as the henchmen fall like cut trees. John leans over the closer of the two.
Thin, hot steaming red fluid pours from the armored head of the exploded henchman, red eyes dimming to black.
John standing beyond the two toppled henchmen.
Electronic bleeping sound.
Close on a yellow DRD busy lasering away at the splayed arm of one of the former henchmen.
He kneels close.
He places the 'beer can' on the floor close to hand.
Inside the capsule, Scorpius listens in.
Standing again, one hand holding a disembodied 'arm' while he pulls stringy orange flesh from the inside. [ugh] Features sensibly screwed up to a figure of distaste, he peers inside before... shoving his own arm into the squicky mess.
Left arm seated neatly inside the armored gauntlet, John shakes the remnants off his right hand as though that'd be his only problem at this point. [ew]
Maneuvering his gauntleted arm, he taps the keypad. Inside the capsule, Chiana and Aeryn are abruptly released and slide down the curved sides to the bottom of the cylinder.
John keys the code for the next phase, muttering to himself.
Leans over one of the henchmen, pulls out the beer can on his chest and peers inside.
Tosses the empty cylinder across the room, moves to the remaining henchman, rolls him over and keys the command for release again. Red indicator lights flicker to blue and John leans down, pulling out the containment capsule and peers inside; jubilant expression speaks for itself.
John places the occupied cylinder carefully on top of a cargo container.
Brief cut to close and angle up on Axikor, stalking the passageways.
Tiny Aeryn reacts to the news.
John shoves his right arm into another of the 'vacated' gauntlets and heads out at a run. 1812 glide close to the capsule on the floor.
Aeryn turns and hops out of the capsule, rocking it slightly. The gigantic 1812 visible just outside.
John on the run.
Axikor, helmet removed, enters. Pausing briefly he eyes the helmet, tossing it away with a growl before moving to the nose of a prowler. He keys a few controls on the 'boot' and it slides off, freeing the vessel.
John enters, moving quickly, only slightly breathless.
Axikor looks up, but doesn't respond before Aeryn enters astride 1812... well, not astride... standing... on its back.
John looks down and around as the DRD glides past him.
Okay, and that's surprising cause all he can do is stand there and watch while 1812 glides closer to the prowler, between John and Axikor.
1812 glides to a stop and opens fire, the small blasts glancing off the side of the prowler.
Axikor turns, not seeming even vaguely inconvenienced, raising his arm. John darts to the side, seeking cover behind a support pillar. Meanwhile, the fire from Axikor's gauntlet knocks Aeryn from her perch and she tumbles to the ground, out cold.
Axikor strides across the deck, seeking additional victims. John's hand, resting on the support pillar, finds a small tool and tosses it across the room. The clatter draws Axikor's attention.
Quiet sound of Axikor's 'mind-reading' thing starts to build but is interrupted by a large plate of steel to the face; wielded by a slightly annoyed John Crichton.
Axikor actually staggers backward, but before he can recover fully, John bashes him again, driving him onto his back.
John discards the makeshift weapon; his gigantic feet walking past tiny Aeryn.
Leaning down he taps the keypad, the red indicator lights on Axikor's chest shift to blue and John extracts the capsule, peering inside. D'Argo and Scorpius get a brief look at John's face.
Axikor grabs John around the knees, upsetting his balance and he goes down hard, the capsule popping out of his hands. His shoulders hit the ground. [Loose ball! Loose ball!]
Inside the capsule, Scorpius and D'Argo do the loop-d-loop and D'Argo howls!
Both on their backs. John chooses to use the keypad while Axikor gloats. However, at the first few blips Axikor begins keying his pad as well. [Typing speed is very important.]
They aim and fire simultaneously and abruptly. Flash of light, and we have tiny John and tiny Axikor on the very large floor, Aeryn a few steps away still lying quietly next to the Moya-sized DRD.
They both take the moment to get to their feet. Another sound of electronic bleeps. A flash of light and Axikor abruptly looms over tiny John.
Axikor makes a grab for John.
Quickly keying the 'get-big code'.
Flash of light as Axikor's fist sweeps past and John is also big again.
Axikor staggers back a bit in surprise, then takes a broad sweep at John who successfully blocks the attack with his armored..... arms. They grapple for a few fun seconds, John getting pressed further back as the guy < b >is< /b > a Scarran after all. He taps the keypad quickly and - flash of light - they are both very tiny again.
John plows a fist into Axikor's face. Axikor backhands him easily and he staggers away while Axikor stands.
John taps rapidly on the keypad and - flash of light - he's huge again, looming over the tiny Scarran.
Without pausing he lifts one boot, setting it down again, firmly. Axikor's scream is abruptly cut off as his tiny form disappears beneath.
Ugly squishing sound, and...
John kneels down, head cocked, peering at the puddle of red, no sign of Axikor save for the tiny little arm that escaped squishin'.
Fade to Black.
Scorpius is back in his 'regular' cell aboard Moya. Sprawled on his back, glaring at the ceiling. One of his little yellow guards drifts beneath the 'bed'.
John walkin' and talkin', so it must be exposition.
[Oh, man, I need a capture of this. John and D'Argo side by side. We never get to see that anymore! *bitchwhine*]
John stops, one hand against the wall.
D'Argo slows, turning about to face him.
D'Argo turns to move on but is held in place by Rygel's sudden bland questioning via comms.
Quick cut to Rygel on Command, enjoying a view out the forward portal.
Oops, mild actual embarrassment.
Big brother actions; steps closer, eyebrows arched in a lovely 'tsk, you are so careless with your toys' gesture.
Pats him on the shoulder and brushes past.
Transition. Moya motors.
Aeryn walks into a passage from a junction at the far end.
Quick cut to the Den. John sitting on Pilot's left-hand side, legs dangling inside the console rim. 1812 on the console to Pilot's right.
Cut to Aeryn, almost purposeless strolling as she listens.
Aeryn stops strolling and just... stops.
She turns about and takes a few steps back the way she came, stopping again.
Turning her back to the wall, she crouches down on her heels.
And from Aeryn's truly bleak expression we can safely assume that... she knows something we don't. And it ain't good.
Fade to Black.