Meanwhile, back at Pilot's Den...

Elrondir

Meanwhile, back inside Pilot's den at the same time we'll see the reason just why certain things are as they are with us Champions and friends. That is, just why we are using telepathy and such instead of our voices to discuss certain things.....

The Brigadier

"Just a moment of your time please," I say to Betty, taking her off to one side away from Pilot so as to have a measure of privacy for a moment, "Mind if I ask you a few questions to get up to speed?"

I feel I have a handle on MOST of it, but in some parts....

Like some via telepathy so as to not further upset our host? I think to myself, hoping that she'll pick them up.

Honestly, I don't think that many of the questions I shall need to ask will upset the chap who's....fused into the floor by some kind of column or some such. However, there are one or two I'd rather not voice aloud in part of not wishing to appear ignorant in front of the others (a lot of information was exchanged and I fear I might have not assimilated it all). That and I do actually fear that one or two questions may upset Pilot, who already is in a fretful mood (understandably).

Sure, I hear Betty reply inside my mind, making a secretive warding gesture back towards Stark (who'd been mouthing the discussion up until that point) What do you need to know?

The man in question suddenly looks befuddled at the sudden silence, but shakes his head and decide to instead of going over to listen in our conversation physically, he's instead decided to have a discussion with the Doctor.

I suppress a sigh of relief before continuing. I haven't known her for long, but this will be a godsend! She seems to know something about discretion and discretion is something I am rather looking for right now. Meaning I feel I can trust her to not throw this question/answer session to the crowd.

Even mention that wish to her, which she readily agrees to happily.

Good!

Now....was that business about "Moya" having baby ships on the up and up? I ask, still having trouble picturing such a thing.

Yep! she laughs a little whilst answering back, Well, one baby spaceship. Believe me, he's a big enough handful all by himself!

I should say so! I reply, A challenge for the obstetrician! I take it that....without Inquirer's experience, it would be challenging? Not to say it's not going to still be, but....

I mentally shrug a little, not continuing the thought.

Yes, indeed! Betty sighs, Back before in the TV show which mirrors this reality, in the absence of anyone who actually knew what they were doing, poor Chiana had to play midwife, and nearly got herself killed doing it...

Thanks, Betty. I say, Interesting!

A vast understatement, the last.....

You're welcome! she sends back, turning to leave, It is interesting stuff, in my opinion. You know, people talk about the Enterprise on "Star Trek" being like a character, but in Moya's case it's literally true. And things can get a bit unpredictable when your spaceship has a mind of her own.

Anyway, if you ever have any more questions, feel free to send 'em my way. she finishes, You know I love talking about this stuff!

Goodness, I can see she actually does at that, despite it being a rather dangerous situation we all are facing.

......

You know....I'm actually rather enjoying this myself, despite the danger....

Will examine that later, but right now...

Actually I do have more questions, I say, Knowing next to nothing about Farscape, I'm intrigued by what you've just told me about about Moya. See, I was kind of curious as to whether or not the setup with Pilot and Moya (or even who they are) would be clear to someone who wasn't familiar with the show. See, a bit before now I had been sure that Moya was referred to as the name of the ship earlier in the day, but I see I'm now wrong. I've.... I've read Anne McCaffrey's "The Ship Who Sang" and also a short story by Larry Niven featuring a human mind implanted into a spaceship. Is she something like that?

Betty blinks at the last, apparently not having pegged me as being the "science fiction" reading type. Oh, I don't imbibe much into it, but occasionally I do. Mind you, I am not a rabid fan of the genre, but I rather enjoy some of the more intelligently written stories. I did kind of.....get interested after having "lived" the reality with what meeting the Doctor and all the ordeals I had to deal with in UNIT. Interesting how sometimes "fiction" was close to the reality....even before being told about how "fiction" was actually glimpses into other realities!

Then, all that said I kind of have to hide a small smile at Betty's surprise. Nice to know that not EVERYTHING about me has been laid bare to the viewing masses....

Moya is a bit different, Betty then explains, She's an intelligent, living entity in her own right, but she's also physically and mentally linked to Pilot (who, by the way, is very non-human, himself as you've seen). He helps to operate her systems (particularly things like life support, which she doesn't need herself and thus doesn't naturally maintain, but which are essential to her passengers), and she communicates through him. Moya's species, the Leviathans, aren't the product of natural evolution (or at least, not entirely), but were created by a race known only as the Builders.

But a spaceship giving birth I press, Is Moya animal or mineral, and will she give actual birth to baby spaceships? I mean, really giving birth? See, I have heard several NON-biological processes involving the use of the word "birth", you see.

Animal, she replies immediately, although there are parts of her that are mechanical. Somewhat like Inquirer in a way, after a fashion.

I pause, looking a bit embarrassed (I am sure) before finally confessing: Before I cottoned on, I thought that you were being a little mean referring to her as massive just because she was pregnant.

That draws a short bark of laughter from Betty, drawing glances our way before she continues.

No, she smiles, I was just being literally descriptive. They don't call 'em, Leviathans for nothing!

True, I say, nodding, Very true. However....just why did Inquirer ask for Gilina for help in the delivery? Does it have to do with Moya being part mechanical as to a PK technician would be of use? And while we are here.... who or what is the father? Or is it parthenogenesis (which is a possibility someone brought up in relation to the dragon the awhile ago?)

Betty's smile evaporates, replaced by a frown. She glances back at Pilot, who's still looking our way, before turning back.

First, she explains that Sigin came from an egg and was not a product of parthenogenesis (despite it being known to happen once in a GREAT while in his species). That had somehow come up whilst John was trying to understand something about Sigin, who'd been put to rest back in his lair....er.....room.

As for the rest....

No, she says quietly, as if afraid of being overheard even mentally (despite her....I guess....spell wards), I fear that is not the reason for Gilina. See, it's all to do with the baby spaceship on the way. Actually, I'm not entirely sure how Leviathans reproduce "in the wild." Talyn (which is what the baby will eventually be named -- after Aeryn's father, interestingly enough) is a special case. He's the product of a genetic engineering experiment by the Peacekeepers, begun before the series started when Moya was in their captivity, and activated when D'Argo found some piece of PK technology hooked up to her and ripped it out because he didn't know what it did. The Peacekeepers wanted to see if they could breed a Leviathan gunship. Levianthans are normally completely unarmed and are very gentle creatures. Moya's baby, however, is in the TV show armed to the teeth and possesses some distressingly aggressive tendencies, poor kid.

Good God!....and....that's why Inquirer wanted Gilina along, I finally say, seeing my foreboding was right here, Just in case real life follows suit with our TV knowledge. As a PK technician she would know how to.....aid the child more so than anyone else available, I believe. Sun may be better for it, but she's not in any shape to help, right?

Right, she agrees, And if we are wrong....why upset Moya and Pilot needlessly beforehand?

Why indeed?

And add to the fact that Inquirer, if need be, would perhaps magically be able to create some kind of telepathic rampart with both Moya and the child Leviathan if all else failed and serve as some kind of....mediator? Some kind of pilot, considering her having been the pilot for her robot ship before becoming a Golem?.... Well, I do hope that will work if all else fails.....

Aeryn Sun

I groan softly as I open my eyes to see John....standing over me and smiling in that way he has.....

I am about to ask him a question (maybe a stupid question like if somehow he'd found something to help me). However, when Rygel and Ka D'Argo start when they see a stranger (with Gilina (?!), Chiana, and Zhaan) come in on their way to some other part of the ship.

1. "Who are you?" D'Argo growls towards the oddly dressed woman with some kind of glittering gem on her forehead.

Go Back