Post by Sponge on Feb 23, 2004 1:05:44 GMT -5
Title : Harrigan's Heroes
Rating : PG-13 for the most part, MA 15+ (not permitted to under 15's) at worst in some later parts - mostly for violence. Some chapters have higher ratings - they'll have warnings in them.
Disclaimer : Henson owns the original characters, Henson owns the Farscape universe, but all the new stuff is MINE!!
Story type : Military action-adventure. Some shippy later.
Setting : AU, starting just after Katratzi.
Reviews : Yes, please!! Note that this is not finished - more chapters will be added when they're done!
Author's notes :
If you are printing this story, the following will help you get a properly formatted copy.
When printing a chapter, highlight from the first line of text after a dotted line (including the chapter heading) to the last line of text before the next dotted line. It should then fit neatly onto the same number of A4 pages as my original copy does (if printed on 'Smaller' font size, or 12 point on a word processor).
Or you could email me and I'll send you a copy in Word format as soon as I can.
Hope this helps
Sponge
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Harrigan’s Heroes
Prologue
“We have got to make another launch, probably within two months, or the Farscape project is down for good” exclaimed DK to the people with him in the lunch cafeteria at IASA’s Canaveral facility.
“Preaching to the converted, mate” replied one of the radar operators “It’s not us you have to convince, it’s those guys with the money. After that fiasco with Columbia, space flight ain’t too popular with the bean-counters. If we don’t get funding, it’s down the gurgler for us. If we do, to the stars”. “Not you though!” laughed a weather tech “You can’t fly! You even get car-sick on the bus to the launch site”. “Yeah, I know, smartarse! I meant this project as a whole” was the reply from the radar op, after slapping the offender round the side of the head.
“Quiet, the lot of you!” DK growled “Though that remark was stupid, it does highlight one very important point. Namely this; none of us can even fly a cessna, let alone a shuttle”. After various replies along the lines “Oh dren!” and “Didn’t think of that”, “Aah!” along with many variations, a voice from the back made itself heard. “Though I can’t fly, I know someone who does. I’m sure he’ll agree to help. He even knew Commander Crichton a little before his flight”. All the members of the little group turned. The voice belonged to an air force corporal sitting at the back. “Go on” queried the radar operator, somewhat warily. “He’s not doing too well groundside either, from what little talk floats around from his lot. Some flying could be just what he needs to set him right” the corporal answered.
“How good is this guy?”. The question came from a supply clerk. The corporal responded with “As a pilot? If you believe officer’s gossip, damn good. I don’t know myself; I haven’t been up with him. We can go see his squadmates if you want, though morale ain’t been good there since, well, sine Farscape 1 went MIA honestly”. The rest of the group went into a huddle. After about three minutes of muttering back and forth, DK approached the, by now, slightly worried corporal. “OK, corporal. We do it. We’ll have a word with this pilot friend of yours. But no guarantees, not yet. Have a word with him and find out where and when we can meet”.
The corporal fished out his mobile phone from a pocket and punched a number in. “Pick up, pickup…” muttered the corporal “Captain Lazarus! Corp… Yes sir!…DK and a few mates to see Lieutenant Harrigan, sir…What?!…Can they see him?…Yes sir, tomorrow 12 noon here sir”. Punching the ‘off’ button, the corporal turned to address the group. “As you can probably tell from my side of that little talk, the situation isn’t too good. The L-T’s in the brig.”. After everyone had quietened down, he continued “His life outside the military wan’t going well, apparently. He got drunk on leave. Which considering the fact that he’s a teetotaller, means it’s baaaad. Took on four marines in a bar brawl. Two seriously injured, one may not even survive the experience. He’ll be court-martialled, maybe discharged. Captain Lazarus said he’d arrange a visit. We meet back here, 12 noon, tomorrow.”
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Chapter 1 - The saga begins...
Captain Lazarus and DK get together to set up this new Farscape mission, and set up the meet with their prospective pilot...
Chapter 2 - Astro boot camp
Training time! Harrigan, Mary, and the corporal start training for the flight. Harrigan has some fum flying the Shuttle trainer. But some OSI investigators arrive at canaveral and start nosing around.
Chapter 3 - Hide and seek
Harrigan and Mary sort out financial resources for their trip. The OSI investigators are getting closer to the truth of what's in the works. The base armourer slips them their weapons, which includes a barrel of Tabun that just happened to fall off the back of a supply convoy somewhere ;D. But the OSI goons don't reach them in time - and the shuttle launches successfully.
Chapter 4 - Into the deep unknown
The shuttle, with DK's help, duplicates the initial Farscape test flight. The corporal makes a virtuoso performance of the 'Dance of the Ballistic Breakfast' by projectile vomiting all over the thingypit. Sure enough, a worhole appears - and in they go! they emerge into the same area as a Peacekeeper test flight and are taken prisoner. But the fun's not over yet - because the Peacekeeper ship runs into our old friends from the Hierarchy...
Chapter 5 - Out of the frying pan...
The Peackeeper pilot presses our heroes into service to fill the holes in his crew. Harrigan gets to fly - which pleases him no end. The crew make their first contact with Scarrans - a Scarran frigate appears, and promptly gives chase. The heroes shoot down several fighters, but things aren't going too well for them - because they're soon ambushed by a dreadnaught and hauled aboard.
Chapter 6 - ...into the fire
Harrigan assumes de facto leadership of the group. He leads them in a series of hit-and-run radis throughout the dreadnaught, destroying several key facilities. But eventually they're cornered on a flight deck, and lose the corporal and the remaining Peacekeeper before being apprehended...
Chapter 7 - Quarantine zone
The two survivors, Harrigan and Mary, are taken to a Scarran medical research tech-prison. Major genetic experimentation is done on them. A Peacekeeper Command Carrier receives a signal from a beacon on board the Harbringer, and pursues. Harrigan eventually emerges alive from the transformation, and wastes no time in getting his own back on the base guards.
Chapter 8 - Bat out of hell
The Scarran base commander puts Harrigan through a military assault course, againt the rest of his garrison. The Command Carrier arrives insystem, and drops a Disruptor assault team to liberate the Harbringer. Harrigan and the chief project scientist use the confusin to make their escape in the Harbringer. The Disruptors kill a few Scarrans and leave behind them, thinking a Sebacean prisoner flies the ship. More fool them...
Chapter 9 - Lay of the land
Harrigan makes his first lading on a commerce planet. He sorts out some more weaponry for his journey, and gets himself involved in an Uncharted Territories' equivalent of a curry challenge. Also has his first encounter with Deadheads. The first appearance of Talannah (although Harrigan doesn't know that yet).
Chapter 10 - Unexpected guests
Harrigan picks up his modified guns. He manages to book passage out on a Leviathan transport to a planet nearer the shipping lanes. He meets up with Talannah on board the ship. Eventually Talannah contacts her superiors, who tell her that a retrieval unit's coming to get her. The Leviathan's crew detect her call, and Harrigan investigates. Eventually, Talannah confesses all to Harrigan and breaks down crying in his arms. The start of a Farscape love story, aaahhh....
They reach their drop-off point at a commercial station. Talannah finishes his outfitting, and almost beheads a female Scarran trader in jealousy when she kisses 'her' Harrigan. They finally end up booking passage on everyone's favourite Leviathan, and get to meet the originals.
Chapter 11 - Frankenstein's Soldier
Harrigan has a lot of fast explaining to do. After he and Talannah share stories of their past military experiences, he finally convinces Moya's crew that he's actually who he says he is by putting on a public showing of the project notes the chief scientist stole when they left the tech-prison. Basically, a lot of background. But veery interesting background, depend upon it.
Chapter 12 - Off to see the king
Author's Warning - Chapter rating change!
After finishing this chapter, I've decided that I have to give a temporary increase in rating for this chapter to R (for two low-level sex scenes). For non-US citizens, this rating means that it's not permitted to access this level of material without a parent or guardian present if you're under 17. Much like an M 15+ here in Australia, but two years higher. I wasn't sure whether the scenes in question warranted the increase in rating, but decided to err on the side of caution.
You have been warned. Now go ahead and enjoy this chapter!
Apart from that, they reach their next stop - a feudal commerce planet called Ithlin. When they land, they get a crash course in local politics - and a contract from the king to conduct a recon mission - all for a fat, Sparky-negotiated, fee...
Chapter 13 - Calm before the storm
Author's Warning - Chapter rating change!
After finishing this chapter, I've decided that I have to give a temporary increase in rating for this chapter to R (for high-level violence). A Charrid officer is subjected to electric shock torture at one stage to get him to help Harrigan and his friends.
For non-US citizens, this rating means that it's not permitted to access this level of material without a parent or guardian present if you're under 17. Much like an M 15+ here in Australia, but two years higher.
You have been warned. Now go ahead and enjoy this chapter!
Apart from the above, Jool's prefernce for non-violence gets her sent back to Moya and replaced with Chiana. Rygel gets caught trying to steal the mission fee for himself. After a brief discussion of ways to cook a Hynerian, Talannah and Harrigan send him back up to Moya with Jool. Jool confesses to Talannah about having a crush on Harrigan, and amazingly doesn't get killed - or even hurt.
After their crawler is destroyed, they liberate a couple of buggies from a Charrid patrol. Harrigan does some very silly aerial stunts, then they infiltrate the Charrid staging base, raid the war room, and blow the place to kindling on their way out.
Back in Ithlin, they learn from a prisoner that the Scarran Imperium is using their puppet in a neighbouring city to bring Ithlin into the Imperium by force. A Scarran special forces team, having previously infiltrated the city, kills the chief of staff. War begins.
Chapter 14 - At my signal...
After a little political jockeying for position amongst the various Lords, the troops are marshalled outside the city for war. Since the Lords are too busy bickering, the king places Harrigan in charge of the army. The Minister of the Interior is uncovered as an enemy agent, and executed for treason. Aery gets reluctantly dragooned into commanding the fron't line forces while Harrigan, Talannah, and Dargo sally forth to destroy the enemy command vehicle.
Chapter 15 - ...unleash hell!
While Aeryn kicks the main force into shape, Harrigan's little team moves out into the badlands. Talannah's past is revealed, which almost causes one corporal to decorate the landscape with his lunch. The Scarran A-Team discuss the implications of Harrigan being called War Commander. The enemy command vehicle is successfully disabled, its crew killed. Once Harrigan's people safely away, a small nuclear charge detonates, ridding the good guys of the problems that the enemy artillery would have caused - it's all just fall-out now. A Scarran warship moves in towards the planet to deliver an orbital bombardment, and Harrigan leads a team up to storm the ship.
Chapter 16 - Chemical thingytail
This chapter gets its name from how Harrigan deals with the crew of the Scarran warship. The make their way slowly to the main air filtration room and dump the entire contents of Harrigan's barrel of Tabun into the aircon system. After shoving the Kalish technicians in a lifepod and firing it off, they run forward to the bridge, which has its own air supply.
After Talannah lets loose at tyhe ship's Captain with a few choice angry Scarran phrases, they're let on the bridge. Though several Ithlin troops die in the ensuing battle, the ship is taken - though not until one volley is fired on the city walls, breaching one whole section. The Scarran A-team sabotages the wall defences of the city in preparation for the assault.
Chapter 17 - Fire from heaven
Harrigan moves his newly-commandeered ship, which he calls the Cry Havoc ('Cry Havoc! Let slip the dogs of war!' - Julius Caesar), into geostationary orbit over the city - where they proceed to give the enemy forces the last suprise of their short lives. Several volleys later, much of the attacking army lies in pieces before the city. The senior surviving officer orders a full retreat before they all die. The Harrigan-Talannah relationship moves onward too, getting closer as the chapter moves on.
Harrigan's team return to the city and leads the final assault to drive the remaining elite enemy forces away from the city personally. They finally discover the A-Team's contingency plan.
Chapter 18 - Rescue and recruitment
The main war is over. But all is not well in Ithlin - the Scarran A-Team means to hold the hostage, intending to swap his life for his city's entry into the Scarran Imperium. During the trip back to the palace, Harrigan and Talannah chase each other through the city, until Talannah's legs cramp up. They're rescued by a young Sebacean male - who turns out to be Shor (his first appearance).
Harrigan and Talannah infiltrate the palace to free the king. After Harrigan gets stuck in a dumbwaiter lift, the noise of Talannah freeing him alerts the A-Team to their presence. He later picks up the weapon off a Scarran tropper and almost blows Talannah to pieces with his clumsy handling of the new weapon. Naturally, this earns him a stinging reprimand from Talannah. But she forgives him - as even Talannah can't stand Harrigan's soulful hang-dog look for long
.
It turns out that one of the Scarrans is an old colleague from Talannah's Deadhead days. eventually, Harrigan persuades the Scarrans to change their allegiance and sign on with him. First emergence of Koronna, Tovak, Captain Kran, Juroch (though it's not yet known that it's him), and Ryalla.
Chapter 19 - Harrigan's Heroes!
The war is finally over for good. Ithlin's political allies wrangle in a three-way battle over who gets the blame and who pays Harrigan's reward. The king says Harrigan just has to name it, and he gets it. Important rule : Never give the monkey the keys to the banana plantation! Harrigan grins widely, and gets the king to completely refit the Cry Havoc from bow to stern, after having to hurl one diplomatic aide through a set of double doors for stonewalling. Final fee is 375 million crindars (hey - the ship's really big!).
Shor is inducted into the team as a new recruit. He strikes up a fast and close friendship with Ryalla - the youngest female, and only high-caste member of the team. This enrages his father no end, but there's nothing he can do about it.
The king outs on a huge victory parade. Aeryn seems slightly frightened by how easily she returned to her military past, and refuses to participate. Talannah, Harrigan, and Dargo take the positions of honour on the lad vehicle.
Chapter 20 - New friends, old home
The refit is done. The Moyans argue back and forth over whether to help Harrigan return briefly to Earth, as this would involve wormhole travel. Eventually, after a 3-3 vote, Crichton exercises his csting vote and provides the help needed. Aeryn and Sikozu give him the ususal 'Tut, tut! Not a good move!' speech afterwards.
Captain Kran contacts the Blood Hand, and reveals that he's found Harrigan. The project scientist, Nrakal, turns out to be a deep-cover agent for this group in the Hierarchy's tech-prison before leaving. Kran calls his family and Nrakal to the Cry Havoc to be with the team.
Two more members are recruited in a local nightclub - these characters were suggested by a recruitment drive on this thread at Roland's forum. Thanks to ScorpSik and madmat for them - good one, people!!
The chapter ends when Crichton creates the wormhole Harrigan needs, then leaving with the rest of the Moyans on their own journey. The Cry Havoc goes down the wormhole, back to...
Chapter 21 - Hot LZ!
...Earth!! One Raider follows them through, which after Talannah and Harrigan investigate, proves to have another ex-Deadhead colleague of Talannah's on board. Kran isn't too pleased initially, but Trannak soon proves himself useful.
Keyah is put to work teaching the others English (she's Kalish - she learnt it quickly off Harrigan). Most learn it fairly well - including the Nebari, Hellbolt. Trannak and Koronna are the best of the Scarrans.
The Cry Havoc makes a cautious approach to Earth, but this goes out the window when they intercept transmissions that show Captain Lazarus and his new squad under fire in North Korea. Harrigan puts his people on to Strykers and immediately launches to rescue them.
They end up helping Captain Lazarus to fulfil his mission. Finding Chinese nuclear warheads at the North Korean base, and not trusting any Earth nation to do the right thing, Harrigan airlifts all of them (about 16 of various sizes) back up to the Cry Havoc - although they need both Strykers to do it.
Blowing the base reactor on their way out, they return to Cry Havoc with Captain Lazarus and his few remaining troops to heal up, and prepare to deal with IASA.
Chapter 22 - Down to Earth
Harrigan's people make a more 'official' landing at the Canaveral launch site - the military side, anyway. While Harrigan's people and Captain Lazarus' people gossip and swap stories, Harrigan and Talannah give the base chaplain the shock of his life when they ask him to perform a marriage service involving a non-human!
TR Holt makes an appearance - and promptly butts heads with Harrigan. He loses, of course - getting dumped on his eema by a stingblast from Harrigan's arm. They begin to get a glimmering of an idea as to who's behind Captain Lazarus' bad intel as well.
The chapter ends with Harrigan's people going to General Franklin's house to discuss other issues around his return.
Chapter 23 : Terran Revelations
Harrigan's people tie up all the loose ends from his shuttle mission over a year and a half previously. TR Holt set a couple of Secret Service agents on them - who end up stripped to their underwear and taped to the nearest lamp-post. Harrigan has to deal with a very irate Israeli Colonel about what happened to Mary, his old comm officer. They repeatedly dodge UFO conspiracy nuts led by the girlfriend of the corporal he took on as the flight engineer.
Talannah and her bridal party prepare for the wedding. There's some trouble getting the dressmaking company to belive that they're telling the truth - after all, no one on Earth has seen a six foot two inch, 550 pound, female Scarran before - let alone tried to get a bridesmaid's dress for one...
The chapter ends with Harrigan and Talannah's last parting as single people...
Chapter 24 : Here comes the bride...
Rated R - sex.
The long-awaited wedding is finally here with us. However, in typical Farscape fashion there's an interruption - resolved in an equally Farscape fashion by hitting people.
The wedding night is not without its problems either - though not in the area you'd expect. Just when things are starting to happen, the floor gives way under the happy couple (the bed's been destroyed by then) - dropping them into the room below just as its occupants turn up. Oops!
Chapter 25 - River of tears, rapids of rage
Harrigan's people come back through the wormhole from Earth to Ithlin again...but all does not go as well as they'd like. Talannah's paast finally catches up with her as a Scarran retrieval team kidnaps her for return to Scarran space and a trial before a kangaroo court on charges of treason. Harrigan falls into depression and sadness at the loss of his wife, and all efforts to rouse him fail - until sergeant-major Koronna yells at him for a while.
The chapter ends with Captain Kran putting a call through to a Blood Hand councillor, and starting to gather forces to rescue Talannah from her current situation.
Chapter 26 : Question time
More political wrangling here than straight out action, as Harrigan and Captain Kran, aided by the others, attempt to find more troops for the upcoming rescue of Talannah. They don't get the best of receptions, but some help does come from an unexpected quarter...
Rating : PG-13 for the most part, MA 15+ (not permitted to under 15's) at worst in some later parts - mostly for violence. Some chapters have higher ratings - they'll have warnings in them.
Disclaimer : Henson owns the original characters, Henson owns the Farscape universe, but all the new stuff is MINE!!
Story type : Military action-adventure. Some shippy later.
Setting : AU, starting just after Katratzi.
Reviews : Yes, please!! Note that this is not finished - more chapters will be added when they're done!
Author's notes :
If you are printing this story, the following will help you get a properly formatted copy.
When printing a chapter, highlight from the first line of text after a dotted line (including the chapter heading) to the last line of text before the next dotted line. It should then fit neatly onto the same number of A4 pages as my original copy does (if printed on 'Smaller' font size, or 12 point on a word processor).
Or you could email me and I'll send you a copy in Word format as soon as I can.
Hope this helps
Sponge
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Harrigan’s Heroes
Prologue
“We have got to make another launch, probably within two months, or the Farscape project is down for good” exclaimed DK to the people with him in the lunch cafeteria at IASA’s Canaveral facility.
“Preaching to the converted, mate” replied one of the radar operators “It’s not us you have to convince, it’s those guys with the money. After that fiasco with Columbia, space flight ain’t too popular with the bean-counters. If we don’t get funding, it’s down the gurgler for us. If we do, to the stars”. “Not you though!” laughed a weather tech “You can’t fly! You even get car-sick on the bus to the launch site”. “Yeah, I know, smartarse! I meant this project as a whole” was the reply from the radar op, after slapping the offender round the side of the head.
“Quiet, the lot of you!” DK growled “Though that remark was stupid, it does highlight one very important point. Namely this; none of us can even fly a cessna, let alone a shuttle”. After various replies along the lines “Oh dren!” and “Didn’t think of that”, “Aah!” along with many variations, a voice from the back made itself heard. “Though I can’t fly, I know someone who does. I’m sure he’ll agree to help. He even knew Commander Crichton a little before his flight”. All the members of the little group turned. The voice belonged to an air force corporal sitting at the back. “Go on” queried the radar operator, somewhat warily. “He’s not doing too well groundside either, from what little talk floats around from his lot. Some flying could be just what he needs to set him right” the corporal answered.
“How good is this guy?”. The question came from a supply clerk. The corporal responded with “As a pilot? If you believe officer’s gossip, damn good. I don’t know myself; I haven’t been up with him. We can go see his squadmates if you want, though morale ain’t been good there since, well, sine Farscape 1 went MIA honestly”. The rest of the group went into a huddle. After about three minutes of muttering back and forth, DK approached the, by now, slightly worried corporal. “OK, corporal. We do it. We’ll have a word with this pilot friend of yours. But no guarantees, not yet. Have a word with him and find out where and when we can meet”.
The corporal fished out his mobile phone from a pocket and punched a number in. “Pick up, pickup…” muttered the corporal “Captain Lazarus! Corp… Yes sir!…DK and a few mates to see Lieutenant Harrigan, sir…What?!…Can they see him?…Yes sir, tomorrow 12 noon here sir”. Punching the ‘off’ button, the corporal turned to address the group. “As you can probably tell from my side of that little talk, the situation isn’t too good. The L-T’s in the brig.”. After everyone had quietened down, he continued “His life outside the military wan’t going well, apparently. He got drunk on leave. Which considering the fact that he’s a teetotaller, means it’s baaaad. Took on four marines in a bar brawl. Two seriously injured, one may not even survive the experience. He’ll be court-martialled, maybe discharged. Captain Lazarus said he’d arrange a visit. We meet back here, 12 noon, tomorrow.”
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Chapter 1 - The saga begins...
Captain Lazarus and DK get together to set up this new Farscape mission, and set up the meet with their prospective pilot...
Chapter 2 - Astro boot camp
Training time! Harrigan, Mary, and the corporal start training for the flight. Harrigan has some fum flying the Shuttle trainer. But some OSI investigators arrive at canaveral and start nosing around.
Chapter 3 - Hide and seek
Harrigan and Mary sort out financial resources for their trip. The OSI investigators are getting closer to the truth of what's in the works. The base armourer slips them their weapons, which includes a barrel of Tabun that just happened to fall off the back of a supply convoy somewhere ;D. But the OSI goons don't reach them in time - and the shuttle launches successfully.
Chapter 4 - Into the deep unknown
The shuttle, with DK's help, duplicates the initial Farscape test flight. The corporal makes a virtuoso performance of the 'Dance of the Ballistic Breakfast' by projectile vomiting all over the thingypit. Sure enough, a worhole appears - and in they go! they emerge into the same area as a Peacekeeper test flight and are taken prisoner. But the fun's not over yet - because the Peacekeeper ship runs into our old friends from the Hierarchy...
Chapter 5 - Out of the frying pan...
The Peackeeper pilot presses our heroes into service to fill the holes in his crew. Harrigan gets to fly - which pleases him no end. The crew make their first contact with Scarrans - a Scarran frigate appears, and promptly gives chase. The heroes shoot down several fighters, but things aren't going too well for them - because they're soon ambushed by a dreadnaught and hauled aboard.
Chapter 6 - ...into the fire
Harrigan assumes de facto leadership of the group. He leads them in a series of hit-and-run radis throughout the dreadnaught, destroying several key facilities. But eventually they're cornered on a flight deck, and lose the corporal and the remaining Peacekeeper before being apprehended...
Chapter 7 - Quarantine zone
The two survivors, Harrigan and Mary, are taken to a Scarran medical research tech-prison. Major genetic experimentation is done on them. A Peacekeeper Command Carrier receives a signal from a beacon on board the Harbringer, and pursues. Harrigan eventually emerges alive from the transformation, and wastes no time in getting his own back on the base guards.
Chapter 8 - Bat out of hell
The Scarran base commander puts Harrigan through a military assault course, againt the rest of his garrison. The Command Carrier arrives insystem, and drops a Disruptor assault team to liberate the Harbringer. Harrigan and the chief project scientist use the confusin to make their escape in the Harbringer. The Disruptors kill a few Scarrans and leave behind them, thinking a Sebacean prisoner flies the ship. More fool them...
Chapter 9 - Lay of the land
Harrigan makes his first lading on a commerce planet. He sorts out some more weaponry for his journey, and gets himself involved in an Uncharted Territories' equivalent of a curry challenge. Also has his first encounter with Deadheads. The first appearance of Talannah (although Harrigan doesn't know that yet).
Chapter 10 - Unexpected guests
Harrigan picks up his modified guns. He manages to book passage out on a Leviathan transport to a planet nearer the shipping lanes. He meets up with Talannah on board the ship. Eventually Talannah contacts her superiors, who tell her that a retrieval unit's coming to get her. The Leviathan's crew detect her call, and Harrigan investigates. Eventually, Talannah confesses all to Harrigan and breaks down crying in his arms. The start of a Farscape love story, aaahhh....
They reach their drop-off point at a commercial station. Talannah finishes his outfitting, and almost beheads a female Scarran trader in jealousy when she kisses 'her' Harrigan. They finally end up booking passage on everyone's favourite Leviathan, and get to meet the originals.
Chapter 11 - Frankenstein's Soldier
Harrigan has a lot of fast explaining to do. After he and Talannah share stories of their past military experiences, he finally convinces Moya's crew that he's actually who he says he is by putting on a public showing of the project notes the chief scientist stole when they left the tech-prison. Basically, a lot of background. But veery interesting background, depend upon it.
Chapter 12 - Off to see the king
Author's Warning - Chapter rating change!
After finishing this chapter, I've decided that I have to give a temporary increase in rating for this chapter to R (for two low-level sex scenes). For non-US citizens, this rating means that it's not permitted to access this level of material without a parent or guardian present if you're under 17. Much like an M 15+ here in Australia, but two years higher. I wasn't sure whether the scenes in question warranted the increase in rating, but decided to err on the side of caution.
You have been warned. Now go ahead and enjoy this chapter!
Apart from that, they reach their next stop - a feudal commerce planet called Ithlin. When they land, they get a crash course in local politics - and a contract from the king to conduct a recon mission - all for a fat, Sparky-negotiated, fee...
Chapter 13 - Calm before the storm
Author's Warning - Chapter rating change!
After finishing this chapter, I've decided that I have to give a temporary increase in rating for this chapter to R (for high-level violence). A Charrid officer is subjected to electric shock torture at one stage to get him to help Harrigan and his friends.
For non-US citizens, this rating means that it's not permitted to access this level of material without a parent or guardian present if you're under 17. Much like an M 15+ here in Australia, but two years higher.
You have been warned. Now go ahead and enjoy this chapter!
Apart from the above, Jool's prefernce for non-violence gets her sent back to Moya and replaced with Chiana. Rygel gets caught trying to steal the mission fee for himself. After a brief discussion of ways to cook a Hynerian, Talannah and Harrigan send him back up to Moya with Jool. Jool confesses to Talannah about having a crush on Harrigan, and amazingly doesn't get killed - or even hurt.
After their crawler is destroyed, they liberate a couple of buggies from a Charrid patrol. Harrigan does some very silly aerial stunts, then they infiltrate the Charrid staging base, raid the war room, and blow the place to kindling on their way out.
Back in Ithlin, they learn from a prisoner that the Scarran Imperium is using their puppet in a neighbouring city to bring Ithlin into the Imperium by force. A Scarran special forces team, having previously infiltrated the city, kills the chief of staff. War begins.
Chapter 14 - At my signal...
After a little political jockeying for position amongst the various Lords, the troops are marshalled outside the city for war. Since the Lords are too busy bickering, the king places Harrigan in charge of the army. The Minister of the Interior is uncovered as an enemy agent, and executed for treason. Aery gets reluctantly dragooned into commanding the fron't line forces while Harrigan, Talannah, and Dargo sally forth to destroy the enemy command vehicle.
Chapter 15 - ...unleash hell!
While Aeryn kicks the main force into shape, Harrigan's little team moves out into the badlands. Talannah's past is revealed, which almost causes one corporal to decorate the landscape with his lunch. The Scarran A-Team discuss the implications of Harrigan being called War Commander. The enemy command vehicle is successfully disabled, its crew killed. Once Harrigan's people safely away, a small nuclear charge detonates, ridding the good guys of the problems that the enemy artillery would have caused - it's all just fall-out now. A Scarran warship moves in towards the planet to deliver an orbital bombardment, and Harrigan leads a team up to storm the ship.
Chapter 16 - Chemical thingytail
This chapter gets its name from how Harrigan deals with the crew of the Scarran warship. The make their way slowly to the main air filtration room and dump the entire contents of Harrigan's barrel of Tabun into the aircon system. After shoving the Kalish technicians in a lifepod and firing it off, they run forward to the bridge, which has its own air supply.
After Talannah lets loose at tyhe ship's Captain with a few choice angry Scarran phrases, they're let on the bridge. Though several Ithlin troops die in the ensuing battle, the ship is taken - though not until one volley is fired on the city walls, breaching one whole section. The Scarran A-team sabotages the wall defences of the city in preparation for the assault.
Chapter 17 - Fire from heaven
Harrigan moves his newly-commandeered ship, which he calls the Cry Havoc ('Cry Havoc! Let slip the dogs of war!' - Julius Caesar), into geostationary orbit over the city - where they proceed to give the enemy forces the last suprise of their short lives. Several volleys later, much of the attacking army lies in pieces before the city. The senior surviving officer orders a full retreat before they all die. The Harrigan-Talannah relationship moves onward too, getting closer as the chapter moves on.
Harrigan's team return to the city and leads the final assault to drive the remaining elite enemy forces away from the city personally. They finally discover the A-Team's contingency plan.
Chapter 18 - Rescue and recruitment
The main war is over. But all is not well in Ithlin - the Scarran A-Team means to hold the hostage, intending to swap his life for his city's entry into the Scarran Imperium. During the trip back to the palace, Harrigan and Talannah chase each other through the city, until Talannah's legs cramp up. They're rescued by a young Sebacean male - who turns out to be Shor (his first appearance).
Harrigan and Talannah infiltrate the palace to free the king. After Harrigan gets stuck in a dumbwaiter lift, the noise of Talannah freeing him alerts the A-Team to their presence. He later picks up the weapon off a Scarran tropper and almost blows Talannah to pieces with his clumsy handling of the new weapon. Naturally, this earns him a stinging reprimand from Talannah. But she forgives him - as even Talannah can't stand Harrigan's soulful hang-dog look for long
. It turns out that one of the Scarrans is an old colleague from Talannah's Deadhead days. eventually, Harrigan persuades the Scarrans to change their allegiance and sign on with him. First emergence of Koronna, Tovak, Captain Kran, Juroch (though it's not yet known that it's him), and Ryalla.
Chapter 19 - Harrigan's Heroes!
The war is finally over for good. Ithlin's political allies wrangle in a three-way battle over who gets the blame and who pays Harrigan's reward. The king says Harrigan just has to name it, and he gets it. Important rule : Never give the monkey the keys to the banana plantation! Harrigan grins widely, and gets the king to completely refit the Cry Havoc from bow to stern, after having to hurl one diplomatic aide through a set of double doors for stonewalling. Final fee is 375 million crindars (hey - the ship's really big!).
Shor is inducted into the team as a new recruit. He strikes up a fast and close friendship with Ryalla - the youngest female, and only high-caste member of the team. This enrages his father no end, but there's nothing he can do about it.
The king outs on a huge victory parade. Aeryn seems slightly frightened by how easily she returned to her military past, and refuses to participate. Talannah, Harrigan, and Dargo take the positions of honour on the lad vehicle.
Chapter 20 - New friends, old home
The refit is done. The Moyans argue back and forth over whether to help Harrigan return briefly to Earth, as this would involve wormhole travel. Eventually, after a 3-3 vote, Crichton exercises his csting vote and provides the help needed. Aeryn and Sikozu give him the ususal 'Tut, tut! Not a good move!' speech afterwards.
Captain Kran contacts the Blood Hand, and reveals that he's found Harrigan. The project scientist, Nrakal, turns out to be a deep-cover agent for this group in the Hierarchy's tech-prison before leaving. Kran calls his family and Nrakal to the Cry Havoc to be with the team.
Two more members are recruited in a local nightclub - these characters were suggested by a recruitment drive on this thread at Roland's forum. Thanks to ScorpSik and madmat for them - good one, people!!
The chapter ends when Crichton creates the wormhole Harrigan needs, then leaving with the rest of the Moyans on their own journey. The Cry Havoc goes down the wormhole, back to...
Chapter 21 - Hot LZ!
...Earth!! One Raider follows them through, which after Talannah and Harrigan investigate, proves to have another ex-Deadhead colleague of Talannah's on board. Kran isn't too pleased initially, but Trannak soon proves himself useful.
Keyah is put to work teaching the others English (she's Kalish - she learnt it quickly off Harrigan). Most learn it fairly well - including the Nebari, Hellbolt. Trannak and Koronna are the best of the Scarrans.
The Cry Havoc makes a cautious approach to Earth, but this goes out the window when they intercept transmissions that show Captain Lazarus and his new squad under fire in North Korea. Harrigan puts his people on to Strykers and immediately launches to rescue them.
They end up helping Captain Lazarus to fulfil his mission. Finding Chinese nuclear warheads at the North Korean base, and not trusting any Earth nation to do the right thing, Harrigan airlifts all of them (about 16 of various sizes) back up to the Cry Havoc - although they need both Strykers to do it.
Blowing the base reactor on their way out, they return to Cry Havoc with Captain Lazarus and his few remaining troops to heal up, and prepare to deal with IASA.
Chapter 22 - Down to Earth
Harrigan's people make a more 'official' landing at the Canaveral launch site - the military side, anyway. While Harrigan's people and Captain Lazarus' people gossip and swap stories, Harrigan and Talannah give the base chaplain the shock of his life when they ask him to perform a marriage service involving a non-human!
TR Holt makes an appearance - and promptly butts heads with Harrigan. He loses, of course - getting dumped on his eema by a stingblast from Harrigan's arm. They begin to get a glimmering of an idea as to who's behind Captain Lazarus' bad intel as well.
The chapter ends with Harrigan's people going to General Franklin's house to discuss other issues around his return.
Chapter 23 : Terran Revelations
Harrigan's people tie up all the loose ends from his shuttle mission over a year and a half previously. TR Holt set a couple of Secret Service agents on them - who end up stripped to their underwear and taped to the nearest lamp-post. Harrigan has to deal with a very irate Israeli Colonel about what happened to Mary, his old comm officer. They repeatedly dodge UFO conspiracy nuts led by the girlfriend of the corporal he took on as the flight engineer.
Talannah and her bridal party prepare for the wedding. There's some trouble getting the dressmaking company to belive that they're telling the truth - after all, no one on Earth has seen a six foot two inch, 550 pound, female Scarran before - let alone tried to get a bridesmaid's dress for one...
The chapter ends with Harrigan and Talannah's last parting as single people...
Chapter 24 : Here comes the bride...
Rated R - sex.
The long-awaited wedding is finally here with us. However, in typical Farscape fashion there's an interruption - resolved in an equally Farscape fashion by hitting people.
The wedding night is not without its problems either - though not in the area you'd expect. Just when things are starting to happen, the floor gives way under the happy couple (the bed's been destroyed by then) - dropping them into the room below just as its occupants turn up. Oops!
Chapter 25 - River of tears, rapids of rage
Harrigan's people come back through the wormhole from Earth to Ithlin again...but all does not go as well as they'd like. Talannah's paast finally catches up with her as a Scarran retrieval team kidnaps her for return to Scarran space and a trial before a kangaroo court on charges of treason. Harrigan falls into depression and sadness at the loss of his wife, and all efforts to rouse him fail - until sergeant-major Koronna yells at him for a while.
The chapter ends with Captain Kran putting a call through to a Blood Hand councillor, and starting to gather forces to rescue Talannah from her current situation.
Chapter 26 : Question time
More political wrangling here than straight out action, as Harrigan and Captain Kran, aided by the others, attempt to find more troops for the upcoming rescue of Talannah. They don't get the best of receptions, but some help does come from an unexpected quarter...
