NEEDS MUST

By Izzy

Disclaimer :  I don't own Farscape and I make no money from fanfic.

Author's Note:  Set in the latter part of Season Two – After the Look at the Princess Trilogy, but before Beware of Dog.

Chapter 1 – "Something is Officially Wrong Here"

"That's the last of it." called Aeryn Sun to no one in particular.  She emerged from the transport; arms filled with boxes of various sizes, and surveyed the scene before her.  The whole crew, with the obvious exception of Pilot, was in the hanger, shifting crates, bickering and getting in each other's way.  She shook her head.  Chaos. 

As she tried to descend the transport steps without dropping anything, one voice rose above the others and caught her attention.

"Holy Mother of GOD!!  What've you got in here, D'Argo?  Bricks?  I swear I'm going to bust something!"

"Nonsense."  The Luxan looked impatiently at the container that Crichton was trying to lift "It is chaakan oil for the weapons."  He took in his human friend's discomfort and couldn't resist adding "Leave it if you cannot manage.  Chiana will get it."

Chiana let out a delighted hiccup of a laugh, dropped the box she was carrying and moved forward as if to take the container.  "Yeah!  Step aside, old man!"

Crichton pulled a face "Ha, ha.  You two are sooo very funny. I'll manage, thank you." He elbowed Chiana out of his way as he loaded the container onto a large trolley already laden with an assortment metal crates and boxes. "See?  Now, where is this lot going?"

D'Argo grinned "In the storage hold.  Hamman side." 

Crichton threw his friend a dirty look "Fine.  Right over the other side of this huge Leviathan it is." He groaned with the effort of trying to start the trolley rolling. "Why do I always get the one with the wonky wheel?"  He grumbled.  "And in a part of the universe brimming over with technological wonders, how come we are pushing this stuff about by hand anyway?  We have really got to see about getting a fork lift…or maybe adapting a few of the DRDs."  He stopped his efforts and addressed the air in the room. " Hey!  Pilot?  Could you make really big DRDs?  Big enough to carry stuff on their backs?"

"I… suppose so."  Came Pilot's voice, uncertain.  "Although it would take time and divert resources away from Moya's maintenance."

"Well then, start the production line rolling, my friend because I am sick of this."

"Ignore him, Pilot."  Said Aeryn, throwing Crichton a stern look as she passed him. 

He grinned back at her.  "Yeah, don't mind me, Pilot.  I'm just yankin' on your chain."

"Very well."  Pilot voice came back "Commander Crichton, perhaps it would help if I assigned a DRD to go with you to operate the doors?"

"Thank you, Pilot.  That would be much appreciated."  Crichton said, sincerely.

Chiana sauntered up to him. "Y'know, I think you might be onto something with that DRD idea." 

"Chiana!  Are you bringing me the cloth or are you going to just stand around and talk to Crichton!"  D'Argo barked from across the room.

Chiana rolled her eyes at Crichton.  "Alright, alright, I'm coming."

Crichton smiled as he watched the little Nebari pick up a bail of material and take it to D'Argo, muttering all the way.  Fearing that D'Argo would turn on him next he began pushing his own load again.  "Ah, there's my helper!"  He said, acknowledging the DRD that had begun trundling alongside him.  "You'll have to stay alert there, little fella, I'm not sure I can stop this thing once it starts.  We don't want your little buddies to have to scrape you off the floor, now do we?"  The DRD beeped and wiggled its antennae.

"Commander…!"

"Relax there, Daddy. Junior here is in safe hands."  He looked down at the DRD and whispered conspiratorially "Can you say overprotective?"  He pushed the trolley towards the door. "You know, maybe in the future we could have you guys pull trolleys in teams…like huskies.  Or maybe…" The rest of his thoughts were lost to the others as he left the hanger.

As Crichton's voice faded, D'Argo rolled his eyes at Aeryn over the top of the package he was carrying.  "I value Crichton as a friend and ally and I would not wish to be without him, but I will never get used to his need to babble constantly!"

"Aw, I kinda like it!  Without it, Crichton wouldn't be Crichton."  Chiana put in, dropping some of the packages she was carrying.  "Dren!"

"Perhaps you should concentrate on what you are doing, Chiana."  Aeryn told the much younger girl.  "We can ill afford to replace items damaged through your carelessness."

The Nebari opened her mouth to retort but shut it again when she saw Aeryn raise her eyebrows in her direction.  "Ah, yeah."  She gave a small half grin. "  Sorry."  

"Chiana, could you put these foodstuffs away, please?  Thank you."  Zhaan paused and looked around "Aeryn, do you remember unpacking my herbs?  They were in a small grey box."

"Is this it?" Aeryn held a small container up whilst picking her way amongst the various boxes and crates.  "You and D'Argo certainly seem to have had a successful trip."

"Yes.  The Goddess smiled upon us.  The prices were low and the choices were many.  We were able to get everything we needed for the next few monens at least." She took the box from Aeryn and sighed, "No, this is not it."  She moved off to look elsewhere.

"Were there no delicacies?  No marjols, krawldar, shakloom jerky?  What about cholian curd salad?" Rygel demanded, floating in front of an extremely heavily laden D'Argo.

"We were shopping for the whole crew, Rygel.  Not just you."  D'Argo replied irritably and pushed Rygel, throne sled and all, out of his path.

" Need I remind you that I am royalty and should not be forced to eat tasteless muck with the rest of you?"  Rygel said haughtily, floating back into D'Argo's path.  "I have delicate stomachs.  They are easily upset."

D'Argo let out a loud growl that caused Rygel to back up his throne sled a little. "Shut up, Slug!  I will show you how 'easily upset' I am if you do not start helping us to put away these supplies!"

The Hynerian pulled a face. "Well, hardly!  I am Dominar to over six hundred billion subjects.  I am not built for manual labour.  That is for others."

"Perhaps, Rygel, you could oversee Chiana storing the food and ensure that she does not forget to place the perishables in the chilling units?  It calls for someone responsible and intelligent.  If the food is not stored properly then we all starve. "  Said Zhaan, ever the peace maker.

"Yes, certainly."  The little Hynerian puffed himself up.  " Someone must ensure that these things are done correctly."  He floated away towards the door. "Although, don't think that I don't know when I'm being manipulated."  He added gruffly over his shoulder.

"Thank you, Rygel."  Zhaan called behind him, a smile breaking out on her beautiful blue face.

D'Argo breathed a sigh of relief and mouthed a "Thank you" in Zhaan's direction.  She inclined her head slightly and went back to trying to locate her herbs.

"Are you alright?"  Aeryn was part amused and part concerned when she saw the human re-enter the room.  He looked exhausted and his short brown hair and tee shirt were damp with sweat in places.  And he seemed to be in pain.

"Who?  Me?  Sure.  Just peachy."  He came up to Aeryn rubbing his lower back with one hand and flexing his opposite shoulder, grimacing all the while. 

"You look like dren."  She observed.

Zhaan looked up momentarily from the crate she was looking in "Yes John, you are looking a little worn.  Perhaps you should go and lie down."

He groaned.  "If I lie down I might never be able to get up again." He continued to rub his back with a pained expression on his face, but when he met Aeryn's concerned gaze again he couldn't help smiling.  "I'm alright Aeryn, I'm just tired.  Plus hauling that last load all the way to," He raised his voice and directed it toward D'Argo " the HAMMAN SIDE STORAGE BAY has left me with a broken back and ripped shoulder muscles."

Satisfied that he was exaggerating, Aeryn shook her head.  "If the load was too heavy you should have split it and made two trips."  She said matter of factly.

D'Argo snorted derisively and continued stacking boxes.

"And be the butt of Tentacle Boy's fledgling sense of humour for the next monen? No thank you!  Crippling myself is a small price to pay."

"I might be able to give you something that will help if you are in pain."  Zhaan said, still somewhat distracted.

"Yeah, I'll let you know, Blue."  Crichton said noncommittally.  "I doubt that it's anything that a long, hot shower won't fix." 

"In that case, you can help me put these parts away in the maintenance bay." Aeryn said.  She indicated a box similar to the one she already held.  "Bring that."

He groaned again, "You know, if you're trying to kill me it would be kinder to shoot me where I stand."

"Don't tempt me, Crichton."  She said seriously and started towards the door.

" Still got some work to do on that comic delivery there, Aeryn."  He called after her, grabbing a box. "That was meant to be funny.  Right?"  He started to follow her towards the door, only to have Chiana run straight into him. "Oooof, Chiana!  What the frell…?"

Ignoring him, Chiana called across the room.  "Zhaan?  Rygel's floating around up there," she pointed in the vague direction of the door behind her, "ordering me about like I'm his personal servant or something and he said that you told him to do it!"  There was note of hurt in her voice.

"Kai'haalen be praised, here they are!"  Zhaan picked up her box of herbs, smiling happily.  She placed a calming hand on Chiana's shoulder "Come along, child.  I'll talk to Rygel."

"Ah? Chiana?"  Crichton was leaning against a crate holding his stomach.  " Aren't you forgetting something here?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry Crichton."  She said, completely unconcerned as she padded out of the hanger alongside Zhaan.

He rolled his eyes, "You know, Aeryn?  Maybe I will go and lie down."

 

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John Crichton stumbled into the darkened command pulling on one of his boots, the other still under his arm.  "Yo, Pip!  You still here?"

"About time, old man."  Chiana emerged from the shadows regarding her dishevelled crewmate with some amusement.  "You know, you're nearly half an arn late.  I was getting ready to ask Pilot to send one of the DRDs to wake you."

"Yeah, I know.  Sorry Chi." He sat down and started to put his other boot on. "I fell asleep and didn't wake up.  I think I must be sickening for something."

"Well, maybe you need to spend some time in bed.  Relaxing."  She said coming to kneel before him, her face moving slowly from side to side as she looked up at him.  "  Maybe you need someone to take care of you."  She let out a short laugh.  "You know, I could probably help you with that, if you'd let me."  She added mischievously.

Crichton never stopped being amazed by the young Nebari's compulsion to flirt.  As far as he could make out, she and D'Argo were a couple, or at least moving in that direction, but it didn't stop her from flirting with him.  It was as if she couldn't help herself.  It was harmless though; he would never call Chiana's bluff and she knew it.  Plus, if he was being honest with himself, he liked that Chiana's attentiveness bugged the crap out of Aeryn. 

He grinned at her, pinching her chin and waggling it a little.  "  I don't think so, Chiana.  I think D'Argo would have words to say to you about that.  And then he'd come and say a few of those words to me.  I've been on the wrong side of Luxan hyper-rage before and I am not looking to repeat the experience."

"Suit yourself, but…" She placed her hands on his thighs and stood up, keeping her face close to his, "…you don't know what you're missing.  My bedside manner is excellent!"  She gave him a wide grin.

Crichton rolled his eyes at her and gave her a gentle push towards the door " I don't doubt it.  Now, get out of here, you little tralk." He said affectionately.  He watched her go, then rubbed his eyes and yawned.  "Everything OK up there, Pilot?"

Pilot's image appeared in the 'clamshell'.  "Yes, thank you, Commander Crichton."

"Well, let me know if anything changes."  Crichton checked all of the control panels and then started to wander aimlessly around the room looking for something to occupy his time.  He considered briefly leaving his post to get some food, or something to fix to break the monotony, but he figured that with his luck, the moment he left command all hell would break loose and he'd be busted.  Instead he activated the lights and pulled out the navigation charts.  They meant little to him, but it was better than staring into space.  He sighed.  Only four arns to go.

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Crichton was walking around command to try and keep himself awake.  Three arns left.  He looked at the navigation charts spread out messily on the strategy table and sighed, deciding to tidy them up.  'Jeez, John, You must be bored.' 

As he approached the table he felt the floor move suddenly beneath him, becoming a slope as the ship lurched violently to one side.  He hardly had time to register what was happening before he lost his balance and fell to the floor.

"Pilot?  What the hell you doin' up there?"  Crichton yelled, using the table to haul himself to his feet again. "Pilot?"  The clamshell remained empty. "PILOT!"  Still nothing.  "Aw, come on Pilot, where are you?"  He activated his com. "Is everybody OK?"

"I'm unhurt, John. What happened?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Blue."  Crichton went to one of the consuls and looked at the settings.

"What does Pilot say?"  D'Argo's voice came booming over the com.

"Pilot's not answering the phone."

"I'll go to his chamber and speak to him." 

"Good idea, Aeryn."

"Moya's not pregnant again is she?"

"Well, I haven't noticed any Leviathan guys hanging around, Spanky, but you never know."

"Well, yotz!  That's all we frelling need!" 

"Calm down, Ryg.  We don't know what's happened yet.  Hey, Chiana!  Speak to me.   Are you OK?"

"Ahh, yeah Crichton, I'm here.  When I went to sleep I was in my bed and now I…ah…well, I seem to be on the floor."  She groaned.  "What's going on?"

"When Pilot decides to talk to me, I'll ask him."

"Wh...why wouldn't Pilot be talking?"

"I don't know, Chi. Maybe he fell asleep at the wheel."  Crichton rubbed his hand over his face.

D'Argo entered the Command behind Crichton and looked at the control panels.  "All the readings appear to be normal."

"Yep.  From what I can make out, we just turned on a dime for no reason."

"Crichton!  I can't gain access to Pilot's chamber.  The doors are locked.  I can't even get to the access tunnels."

Crichton looked at D'Argo. "Aw, crap!" he said softly but with feeling as he activated his com.  "OK, everybody get up to command.  Something is officially wrong here."

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TBC