"If we do that, we sacrifice maneuverability," Braca protested.

Crais was about to ream him out for questioning his orders when the door slid open and Scorpius entered the room. Crais' eyes narrowed and he said, "I left orders not to be disturbed."

"Of course, Captain," Scorpius purred, savouring the nervousness that underlay Crais' annoyance, "but, as you labour to recapture the Leviathan, I thought I might offer a course of action it seems you have not considered yet." He had walked over to the desk where Crais sat, and now leaned in close to him, letting the wave of discomfort wash over him. "Do you think a mother would abandon her child?" he purred.

Crais stepped firmly on the urge to shudder, and glowered at Scorpius, relieved when he backed off. The half-breed continued, however, "If I was in command, Captain, I would concentrate on the Leviathan's newborn." The hair on the back of Crais' neck stood up as Scorpius walked around behind him to the other side of his chair, continuing, "Bombard the area with multi-frequency signals. Discordant stimuli. See if I couldn't make the offpring reveal itself in panic. And, its mother along with it, hmmn?"

Crais could feel Scorpius looking expectantly at him, but he continued to ignore him, instead focusing on Braca. "My orders stand. Change our position." Braca nodded sharply, accepting the order, and then walked briskly out of the room, leaving Crais alone with Scorpius. Continuing to stare straight ahead, Crais asked, "What do you want, Scorpius?"

"I came to see how you feel, Captain," Scorpius said quietly, walking around to the front of Crais' desk and studying him closely, "After your unpleasant experience at the hands of Officer Sun, I've been concerned..."

"You, concerned?" Crais scoffed, glowering up at Scorpius as the half-breed leaned on the edge of his desk. "Somehow I doubt that. Now, get out of my office -- and do not try to undermine my command again!"

The calm expression faded and Scorpius leaned close, then hissed, "It takes little effort to undermine your command, Captain. Do not presume to order me around -- it is only because I am waiting to see how this hunt turns out that I have held off on reporting everything that has transpired to First Command..." When it looked as if Crais might argue further, he reached out and grabbed the Sebacean by the throat and leaned very close. "I had the Aurora Chair set up in the rooms given to me on your ship, Crais. I still have things I would like to ask you -- we can go there now if you'd like."

"How dare you!" Crais wheezed, trying to pry Scorpius' powerful grip loose. He could see the half-breed becoming more excited as he struggled, and realized with disgust that he was trapped. Even if he refused, at this point, Scorpius would find some way to get him back into that damnable Chair... "Release me, Scorpius!" he ordered, relieved when Scorpius finally let go.

"Come with me, willingly, and I will save you the humiliation of having you dragged out of here by my guards," Scorpius offered, looking smugly down at him.

Crais glowered up at him, then slowly stood and said, "Let's get this over with, then." He could tell that Scorpius was disappointed he didn't fight -- the half-breed had obviously been looking forward to it. I'm not about to give you any satisfaction, he thought viciously as Scorpius led the way out of the office. He followed Scorpius out, determined not to let him spend any time unsupervised in his quarters; although once they were in the corridor he walked alongside the scientist, determined to show him they were at least equals...

When they arrived at Scorpius' room, he couldn't avoid the shiver of unease that slid down his spine. He knew what was coming, and that there truly was no way to avoid it -- and Scorpius was all too aware of that fact, smiling smugly at him as he opened the door and ushered him into the large room.

Somehow, Scorpius had obtained what had been a storage area, and in the small amount of time he had been aboard had already set up the Aurora Chair and all of its controls. In one corner of the large room, what looked like personal quarters had been set up. Crais' eyes swept the room, uneasily noting the restraints on the bed: Scorpius appeared to be anticipating the expedient return of Crichton... Bastard...

And suddenly, Scorpius was there, right behind him, purring in his ear, "What are you thinking about, Captain -- are you thinking about Crichton?"

Relieved that Scorpius couldn't see his expression, Crais growled, "It's no business of yours, Scorpius," and took a step forward to put more distance between them.

Scorpius smiled, having felt Crais' reaction to the mention of Crichton, and closed the distance again. "You want him, don't you, Crais," he purred in the Sebacean's ear. Yes, there was that flood of desire again; intense, exploitable... "You want him so badly you're aching for him...And you've seen that magnificent cock of his -- you want him to pin you down and frell you, don't you?" To keep Crais from edging away again, he grabbed the powerful shoulders and held him immobile; then whispered, "If you'd like to feel something that big, I'm sure I can find something to keep you happy until you have him captive again..."

"How dare you!" Crais roared, turning on Scorpius and lashing out viciously with a hand aimed for the half-breed's throat; realizing even as he did so that he had made a mistake letting his temper get the best of him.

With lightning fast reflexes, Scorpius dodged the strike and reached out, wrapping his hand around Crais' ponytail and using it to pull him off balance. With frightening ease, he forced Crais to his knees and held him there with the painful grip. "Must I pick you up and put you in the Chair?" he asked, his voice still a quiet purr -- and all the more disquieting for that fact. Abruptly, he released Crais; sneering down on him, he ordered, "Stand up, Captain."

Wordlessly, glaring daggers at Scorpius, Crais stood and adjusted his ponytail, determined not to wince at the lingering pain. Retaining as much dignity as possible, he walked to the Aurora Chair and seated himself, closing his eyes as Scorpius fastened the restraints.

"Crichton is a most intriguing creature, isn't he, Captain?" Scorpius asked as he secured the headset. "Surprisingly strong-willed for someone so undisciplined..."

Crais felt the leather-clad fingers stroke the back of his head and down his neck as the half-breed discussed Crichton, and realized with discomfort this was the direction Scorpius' questioning would be taking. "Get your hands off me, Scorpius..." he warned, knowing he was powerless to stop it anyway.

Instead of stepping away, Scorpius walked around the Chair to face Crais, smiling as the hazel eyes opened. He trailed a teasing stroke along Crais' jawline and then down his throat. "Obsession is an interesting thing, Captain..." he whispered, "It makes you focus so strongly on one thing that everything else suffers: your mission, your duties...your loyalties. You've allowed Crichton to become your entire universe, Captain -- how do you justify that kind of single-mindedness when it affects your duties as a Peacekeeper?"

"I am not obsessed with him," Crais denied, glaring up at Scorpius. "That single-mindedness is focus, not obsession."

"Of course it is," Scorpius said with a smirk, "That's why you have taken to murdering your officers and ignoring orders from First Command. I should have realized..."

"Perhaps you should be cautious yourself, Scorpius; raping a prisoner is against the rules -- especially an alien," Crais mused. "But I'm sure you're not about to put that in the report you give First Command..."

"The report is about you, Captain, not me..." Scorpius purred, cupping his chin and leaning so close Crais could feel the thin lips move as he talked, "and for complete accuracy, I should ask you some more questions about the object of your...focus."

"Then just get it over with," Crais growled, trying to pull away from Scorpius.

The half-breed smiled and allowed him to back away, savoured the emotions raging through the Sebacean -- it was definitely time to start...

He stepped off the Chair's platform and walked over to the controls, flicked switches and turned the power up. Crais struggled to restrain the scream that clawed its way up from deep inside, the pain slicing straight into his mind despite his attempts to resist. He dug his hands into the arms of the Chair and fought to maintain control; knew he was losing when he heard a whimper and realized it had come from him.

"Stop fighting it, Captain," Scorpius said, "You already know how much pain that can cause..." He walked back over to the platform and hopped up onto it, then leaned close to Crais and whispered, "All I want to know is what you know about Crichton's strengths and weaknesses, Captain. It's not as if I'm asking for any state secrets -- I just want to know the best way to bring down our common foe..."

"You've already seen into his mind, Scorpius -- you don't need anything from me!" Crais ground out, gaining a little more control as Scorpius' request sent a chill through him. He's trying to get me to seal my fate-- Crais thought before another wave of pain sliced through his head...

"You truly have no reason to protect him, Captain -- he fled the base and that traitorous Tech helped him use you as part of the distraction -- One of your own pilots left you for dead in the Chair... Now, tell me about him -- I will decide what I do and do not need to know..."

Crais struggled in the chair again, feeling his willpower fading; the pain becoming too intense to fight against. "No..." he groaned as images began to flash across the screen: His first meeting with Crichton, circling around the human like, he realized now, some wild predator; their battle at Maldis' lair; Crichton backed against the door of his quarters, trembling as he pressed against him...

"Yes!" Scorpius hissed, "Tell me, Captain. Show me everything you know about him -- how it felt to be inside him, to have him submit to you..."

Crais squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing back bile as he realized Crichton had been right; Scorpius was using them both to fulfill his twisted desires. He couldn't fight the Chair anymore, and when Scorpius mentioned Crichton submitting to him, he gasped. Underneath the pain, barely perceptible, he felt a shiver of arousal as the memory of Crichton's eagerness filled his mind. He tried to regain control, oblivious now to the images flashing across the screen and Scorpius' vicarious enjoyment of them...

Frustrated by the lack of search results, Crais strode from the bridge, heading for his quarters. He had felt the furtive glances of some of the more opportunistic members of his crew; those he knew were well aware of the power struggle going on right under their noses and prepared to throw their loyalties in with whoever won. He shuddered, knowing all too well that he had already lost to Scorpius -- there was only one way he could win, and even if he accomplished that objective he still had to regain control of himself before he could regain control of his command...

Glad when he arrived at his quarters, Crais stepped into the room -- and stopped short when the sight of Scorpius lounging in one of his chairs filtered through the exhaustion. "What are you doing here?" he asked, too annoyed to think about what the scientist may have done while he was waiting.

Scorpius continued to look around and answered, "Admiring your quarters, Captain. Quite opulent even by captains' standards." He turned to look at Crais, savouring the Sebacean's defiance for the moment. "I've never understood the need of some warriors to," he paused briefly, motioning at the large skull hanging on the wall behind the chair, "memorialize their conquests."

Crais began walking forward again, anger still overwhelming any other reaction. "Your branch of the service gives you special privileges, Scorpius; which does not include disrespect of rank. I want you off my ship!"

"Of course you do," Scorpius said calmly. He slowly stood and began walking forward, continuing, "Candidly, Captain, you have continually failed in all your duties. Your vector for success has grown quite small." He walked down the steps to the lower section of the room, approaching Crais; and gently threatened, "Stray outside it and I fear this ship soon may need someone else to command her."

As Scorpius passed him, Crais grimaced with disgust. The door slid closed, and only then did Crais realize Scorpius had not left, instead closing and locking his quarters to any who might interrupt. Anger began to give way to unease.

"Get out, Scorpius," he commanded, "You are not welcome here."

"Ah, but Captain," he purred, approaching Crais again, "you have been in this position before -- and I know you will do whatever you need to do to attain your desired objective..."

Crais swallowed hard as Scorpius' last words came from right behind him; the scientist so close that he could feel the heat pouring off his body. Continuing to stare straight ahead, he snarled, "Get out of my quarters, Scorpius; I will not warn you again."

One leather-clad hand fastened on his shoulder, the other closing around his throat before he could even react. He squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced with revulsion as Scorpius pressed his lean body close, fighting down the panic as the pressure on the blood vessels in his neck began to make him lightheaded.

"No, Captain, you will not warn me again..." Scorpius murmured threateningly, and Crais gasped in surprise and a tiny shock of pain as something sharp jabbed into the throbbing artery in his neck. Scorpius chuckled softly and gave his neck a little caress, then abruptly released him.

"What the frell was that?!" Crais demanded, spinning and looking at Scorpius accusingly. Already, he could feel a strange heat spreading up the side of his face and across, back down the other side and then down into his body; a delicious heat that spread throughout his body in a matter of moments. "What have you done to me?"

Scorpius stood back and watched, smiling, as the compound worked its way through Crais' system. Despite the Sebacean's alarm, he could see the gradual relaxation as it worked its powerful effect. Perfect... "You see, Captain, there are many fascinating things on the myriad planets the Peacekeepers control. You are interested in these worlds merely as far as their military strengths and weaknesses are concerned; whereas I, as a scientist, find so much more to explore. New ways of bringing pain, new devices with which to torture -- new chemicals and concoctions with which to obtain the desired reaction..."

"You drugged me!" Crais accused, horrified by the sensations beginning to overwhelm him, the sweet heat giving way to an ache that begged to be eased. Backing away from Scorpius, he growled, "You've outdone yourself, Scorpius -- this behaviour is inexcusable!"

Scorpius walked forward, following Crais' retreat, his tongue darting out to moisten his thin lips. "Perhaps you would like to report me to First Command, Captain -- right after the investigation of your relationship with Crichton..."

Crichton... Crais thought, a delicious shudder running through his body as memories flooded his mind. He shook his head, forcing his mind back to the matter at hand -- Scorpius had managed to catch up with him and the leather-clad fingers were deftly unbuttoning his uniform tunic's collar. He batted them away, snarling, "Get away from me!"

Scorpius chuckled softly and grabbed Crais' wrist hard, then leaned in closer and whispered, "Yes, Captain, I did drug you. You are a Sebacean, and I didn't think it was fair for our session tonight to be completely one-sided..."

Desperation lent Crais enough strength to break Scorpius' grasp; he bolted, heading up the stairs intending to grab his pulse rifle and deal with his unwanted guest. Scorpius' reactions, however, were faster -- the half-breed caught him, shoving him down on his bed; pinning him down and forcing a knee between legs that spread far too easily.

Crais moaned, hunger flaring sharply and bringing with it horror and self-loathing as he realized who he was reacting to, and that he had lost all control over his body. This was what it was like to be like Crichton, he realized, unable to control what his body responded to; reacting to something he loathed so much he could taste it. For a moment fear threatened to overwhelm him, and he could see Scorpius shiver in pleasure as he drank it in...

Scorpius sighed as Crais arched beneath him, feeling the wanton hunger battling the fear within his conquest. It was a perfect mix; so stimulating... He returned his attention to the uniform tunic, Crais' reactions to his every touch sending another thrill through him. The Sebacean was helpless against him, so desperate to be frelled, so aroused that he would do anything for release -- and so terrified because of that lack of control. "I should have done this to you long ago, Crais..." Scorpius purred, leaning close and biting Crais' lower lip. When the Sebacean gasped, he flicked his tongue inside the warm mouth, tasting and probing. Crais' reaction, a ragged groan and surge of arousal, urged Scorpius to plunge his tongue deeper in a savage approximation of a kiss.

Crais writhed beneath Scorpius, grinding his aching cock against the hot thigh pressed between his legs. Images of Crichton flashed through his mind again; the human groaning and surging up into him as he shoved deep; blue eyes wide with surprise as he frelled Crichton mercilessly; that perfect body arching in pleasure as orgasm took him... He cried out as a leather-clad hand wrapped around his erection, the shock of it bringing him back to the present again. Where are my clothes?! he thought, fear overwhelming him again as he realized he had been stripped of his uniform.

Scorpius chuckled and whispered, "Thinking about Crichton again, Captain?" When even the mere mention of the human made Crais' cock twitch, Scorpius knew he was ready. He rolled off his captive and made himself comfortable beside him, leaning close to bite one of Crais' erect nipples, savouring the shock of pain as Crais whimpered. The Sebacean's legs were spread wide, his erection rising from its bed of crisp black curls, wet with precum and throbbing with every beat of his heart. Scorpius restrained a groan as the sight of his helpless captive sent lust thundering through his body...

He stripped off his gloves and caught the next bead of precum on a fingertip, spread it to form the barest amount of lubrication, then slid his hand between Crais' thighs, reaching for his anus. When he touched the puckered opening, Crais groaned and lifted his hips slightly, wordlessly begging for penetration.

"Don't worry, Captain, you'll get exactly what you want..." he purred, forcing his finger into the tight opening and sighing as Crais' body opened to accept his invasion. He could feel, buried deep beneath the lust, Crais' horror and impotent fury struggling for release; savoured it as he thrust deep.

Crais moaned, the pain of Scorpius' savage penetration only serving to spark another rush of arousal, his body responding helplessly despite the part of him that screamed in horror and disgust. He wanted desperately to get his body back under control, but whatever compound Scorpius had given him had completely shattered that control. He even knew that Scorpius was reveling in his fear and loathing, fulfilling his own twisted desires by reading the swirling emotions -- knew he was providing exactly what Scorpius wanted. And he couldn't make himself stop...

Scorpius jabbed deep again, and Crais realized he was on his stomach now; couldn't remember how he'd gotten there. His cock was achingly hard, his balls throbbing as if they were going to explode. He was impaled on something that reached much deeper than the half-breed's fingers, and he couldn't remember how it had gotten inside him, either. All he knew -- all his world existed of -- was the pleasure that came with every thrust, every savage jab deep into his body; and somewhere the voice, all but drowned out, now, screaming at him to fight...

There was a sudden, intense electric jolt that had nothing at all to do with the stimulation of any sensitive internal gland. He cried out, his limbs jerking with the sensation that seared through him; his body desperate to feel it again even though the last tingle hadn't yet faded. Scorpius laughed aloud, an ugly, contemptuous, smug laugh, and then the electric pleasure scorched his nerves again. He realized, suddenly, that it had something to do with the device inside him -- whatever Scorpius was frelling him with was electrified in some way...

Scorpius groaned as Crais writhed before him, wishing fiercely that he could penetrate the Sebacean himself and cursing the one weakness of his mixed-heritage physiology. He thumbed the control of his device onto a setting that sent a constant stream of low voltage electricity through the rod deep within Crais' body. His helpless prisoner gasped in response and shivered as the pleasure turned up a notch. Then, Crais moaned and began to move, pressing back in an attempt to drive the device deeper; to get actively frelled by it instead of merely relying on its normal level of stimulus. Yes, Captain, I will give you what you want, Scorpius thought, sensing the burning hunger within his captive; the desperation, the humiliation...

As Scorpius grasped the handle of the rod and began to thrust it into him, Crais groaned and pressed back into the rough strokes. Pleasure burned through him as the constant level of stimulus buzzed and tingled through him, sending fire along every nerve of his body. On a particularly savage thrust, when one of the contacts was in exactly the right place, Scorpius flicked the control. A sharp pulse went through Crais, quickly followed by another and another; sending him tumbling over the edge, orgasm tearing violently through him, ripping a scream from his throat as he dissolved in the pleasure/pain. He was too far gone to feel Scorpius dig sharp nails into his shoulder and press his trembling body close, shuddering and sighing as he soaked up the pleasure...