The Barter System

Chi

. . .

Okay, let me get this right. People I've never met before (much less really know) are going out of their way to help me, for nothing in return?

. . .

Are these people fahrbot? Y-yeah, I can see my analogs doing things. Well . . . . we're family. Yeah! Family! Sisters. Sorta sort of like how I had been with Nerri. . . . But if I'm asking why, why is it that my sisters here are so . . .

I mean, what did they, the Doctor and hif Companions do to earn their trust?

. . . .

Wait. Wait I think . . .

I think I remember something! It was somewhere the blur which I now vaguely recall the Celestrials warning me about (ya know, the stuff that I just rediscovered by accident about who I want to have . . . fun with IF I chose to remain dragon upon becoming Champion!) and the vague dren about a Dark Tower.

. . .

DAMN, that thing had been BIG! Bigger inside than out (kinda like the Doctor's TARDIS) but MORE so, but what is this dren that's a frellin' clue to why my sisters trust.

!!

"They saved Ner . . . your Nerris?" I whisper, frantic to know if I've not suddenly gone fahrbot.

It would fit, but . . .!

Chiana

I knew that I should have told this dren to her earlier, but just when the Hell had we had enough TIME?! Having to do fifty billion things at once, saving the frelling universe here and htere and . .

. . .

Well, now is as good of time as any!

"They did," I say softy so as to not to interrupt the discussion that the Doctor and my husband are having. I'll catch up on what they're talking about later. Somehow THIS right now seems. . . more important!

I . . . can't exactly put it in words how exactly put it, but it's . .

"That is why we trust them so much," Aeryn Pip puts in softly.

And the light dawns in Chi's eyes.

. . .

Oh God! You've just GOT to be kidding me! All this . . . Why she's been acting so squirrelly? Why she's been ASKING what's so special about my friends?

I mean IF I had been in her boots I . . .

. . .

Hey, wait a minute!

Alright, you are probably rolling your eyes and thinking this is overly simplistic. But then again how many problems that all those "damaged" people out there on Earth can be traced to a simple cause? Or perhaps a combination of simple things that result in an amazing . . . mess?

Well, in that we have what's been bugging Chi about Chiana and Aeryn Pip and vice versa. The matter of trust. The matter of just why they feel safe around people they've just met (and they're insisting that SHE should trust them as well).

Remember, the girls in gray don't trust people easily (as anyone who's seen Farscape can attest). We know the reason why, those who've seen it and are familiar about the ways of the Uncharted Territory and all that. Dangerous and nasty place, that . . .

The girl in gray named "Chi" didn't have a chance to take the first step down the path that the other girls had with John Critchton,. With him and the others on Moya, she . . . they had developed, character wise, right? Chi here is perhaps the most . . . .er . . . .feral? . . . of the three because she'd been swept up in this when she had (right at the very beginning of where she'd been first seen in the TV series).

So, if one was to put a title on this incident, perhaps it would have to do with . . . .

Ah, nevermind!! Just say that it is the past seeing the future or somethign like that.

And maybe the young dragoness could be said to have taken a first step forward?

Maybe. Maybe not, but was sure fun writing it, let me tell you!

Aeryn Pip

Oh, but isn't it always fun looking back and seeing how frelled up you can be!

Hm, and we want to watch DVDs and see just how the others saw us? Through Crichton's eyes?

. . .

Damn straight! It'll be fun!!

Anyway, let's get back to listening in on my sister's friends and husband trying to play white knight.

T-that's the right term, right?

"However," Sigin finishes up, after getting back from a mirror he'd talked to (huh?). "My friends as of right now they're so involved with a young female centaur named Ravenmane (re: 44297) that Heaven only knows when they'll be able to help us. They have their hands full enough trying to keep her memories viable for restoration as it is. Until Cuthbert's group gets back with those ingredients that intelligent shade of blue had, we're stuck for help from that corner."

Inquirer

"So basically that's a bust," I say. "But do we have to just concentrate on help from this end? What about what's available over in Xanth?

"The Good Magicians recently got their Net access clipped for trying to be cute, but . . .I believe I can facilitate something." I continue.

They'd tried to access data files that had clearly been marked as classified in the Military zone of the Net. Despite the Good Magicain (or Magicians) being the Magicians of Information, they had no need to know (no bloody RIGHT) nosing around there.

1. Hey, it's all about barter . . .

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