QM 68 - Family Crisis
68 - "A family crisis brings out the best and the worst in every member of the family." - 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'
"Look, I don't see what's wrong with following my plan," John sighed.
"That's the problem, Crichton, you never do," grumbled Rygel. Throne sled turning him toward the others, the Hynerian shook his small head in disgust. "Why the yotz are we even listening to him?"
Chiana threw her feet up on the table. "Got me," she said, shrugging. "Far as I'm concerned, we should just hop in a transport pod, land, and figure things out from there."
John rubbed his temples. "We can't do that, Pip, and you know it. You heard them on our last visit two days ago, we're not allowed."
"So?"
"So our last visit ended with us being informed of a bounty being placed on our heads should we ever come back." The low, rumbling tones of D'Argo's voice held just the slightest hint of amusement under the disapproval, something that a close friend would be able to notice.
They all noticed. Chiana was the only one to comment. "Yeah, but it was frelling fun getting kicked off that rock, wasn't it?"
Standing from his chair, John started pacing. "Of course you thought it was fun, it was you and D and your loose interpretation of local decency laws that got us in trouble in the first place!"
D'Argo shrugged, trying not to laugh. John could have slapped his big, football-shaped noggin.
"All I'm saying is that we need to figure out how we can replenish a few very important supplies," John pleaded.
A loud snort sounded from the other end of the room. "Why don't you just tell them, John?" Strides even, measured and strong, Aeryn walked into the middle of the argument and crossed her arms.
John shook his head. "Nothin' to tell."
Every one of the others simply tilted their heads, waiting for the explanation. Not a one of them believed him over Aeryn.
He sighed. "Fine. I sat on something when we were down there, a plant or something weird."
"So?" said Chiana again.
When John was silent, Aeryn answered for him. "He wasn't wearing trousers at the time."
Rygel barked out a laugh. "Well done, Crichton. Next time, be careful where you excrete."
"I wasn't excreting!" John shouted back. "I was--"
D'Argo raised a finger in realization. "You were loosely interpreting local decency laws with Aeryn."
John hung his head. "They've got a salve," he muttered.
"For this," Rygel laughed, "I will happily involve myself in any ridiculously dangerous mission you suggest."
"Same here," said Chiana, grinning.
D'Argo raised a hand. "Count me in."
With a smug look, Aeryn turned on her heel and walked back toward Command.
"Glad I could share this with you all," said John, trying not to scratch.
(452)
"Look, I don't see what's wrong with following my plan," John sighed.
"That's the problem, Crichton, you never do," grumbled Rygel. Throne sled turning him toward the others, the Hynerian shook his small head in disgust. "Why the yotz are we even listening to him?"
Chiana threw her feet up on the table. "Got me," she said, shrugging. "Far as I'm concerned, we should just hop in a transport pod, land, and figure things out from there."
John rubbed his temples. "We can't do that, Pip, and you know it. You heard them on our last visit two days ago, we're not allowed."
"So?"
"So our last visit ended with us being informed of a bounty being placed on our heads should we ever come back." The low, rumbling tones of D'Argo's voice held just the slightest hint of amusement under the disapproval, something that a close friend would be able to notice.
They all noticed. Chiana was the only one to comment. "Yeah, but it was frelling fun getting kicked off that rock, wasn't it?"
Standing from his chair, John started pacing. "Of course you thought it was fun, it was you and D and your loose interpretation of local decency laws that got us in trouble in the first place!"
D'Argo shrugged, trying not to laugh. John could have slapped his big, football-shaped noggin.
"All I'm saying is that we need to figure out how we can replenish a few very important supplies," John pleaded.
A loud snort sounded from the other end of the room. "Why don't you just tell them, John?" Strides even, measured and strong, Aeryn walked into the middle of the argument and crossed her arms.
John shook his head. "Nothin' to tell."
Every one of the others simply tilted their heads, waiting for the explanation. Not a one of them believed him over Aeryn.
He sighed. "Fine. I sat on something when we were down there, a plant or something weird."
"So?" said Chiana again.
When John was silent, Aeryn answered for him. "He wasn't wearing trousers at the time."
Rygel barked out a laugh. "Well done, Crichton. Next time, be careful where you excrete."
"I wasn't excreting!" John shouted back. "I was--"
D'Argo raised a finger in realization. "You were loosely interpreting local decency laws with Aeryn."
John hung his head. "They've got a salve," he muttered.
"For this," Rygel laughed, "I will happily involve myself in any ridiculously dangerous mission you suggest."
"Same here," said Chiana, grinning.
D'Argo raised a hand. "Count me in."
With a smug look, Aeryn turned on her heel and walked back toward Command.
"Glad I could share this with you all," said John, trying not to scratch.
(452)