This was it. This was what he'd told her about, when he'd come, aged and battered and frightened, half a cycle or more ago. She knew it the microt she saw the two Scarrans.

I'm going to send you into something very bad, Baby. I'm sorry.

Two of them. Both armed.

I promise you, I'll be there. I'll come for you.

There was no way that she was going to survive this. Not unless he came as he had promised. The Scarrans didn't give a frell for her or any Sebacean. They would simply kill her.

But I need you to do something. Can you do something for me, Baby?

Already the Scarran soldiers were pointing their guns at her. No matter how hopeless, she had to try. She raised her weapon and began firing at the nearest Scarran, the one most likely to hit her.

I need you to live, Baby. I need you to survive.

She'd been on night guard duty outside her barracks, and he hadn't let her turn on the lights, even though everyone else was asleep. All she had was the memory of his haggard face in the beam of her torch.

And I need you to stop me from doing something very, very stupid.

That's odd. The Scarrans, both of them, had a clear line of fire. Why didn't they shoot? Ah. Because that one was coming for her. She shifted her aim to him.

You'll know it when you see it.

He'd said a lot of things, whispered apologies, words of love, signposts, things that were going to happen....but mostly, he'd told her to wait for him.... Frell! She wasn't even slowing the Scarran down.

It's going to be bad. Really bad. I'm sorry I can't keep it from happening.

The Scarran backhanded her, sending her gun flying, and searing pain coursing through her arm. She landed on the floor, with her breath knocked out of her.

Stay alive, Baby. Live for me. I promise you, I'll come.

And that was when she knew it was much worse than she'd thought when she'd first seen the Scarrans around the corner, told Sikozu to run.

I'll be there.

He would find her, he would track her down -- but she would have to survive the Scarrans first. And they knew far too many ways to torture a Sebacean, especially one who had a baby to protect at all costs.

And when I come, Aeryn, after I come, you have to stop me from giving up my soul.

The Scarran hauled her to her feet then, slapped binders on her. He growled into his communicator, acknowledged the reply. He shoved her forward, and she began to walk. It was that, or fight, force them to kill her now, avoid the torture. But she knew she couldn't do that.

One more thing, Baby. Please. Promise me. Promise you won't tell me, the me you find on Moya when you go back....you won't tell me about this. Promise.

She would stay alive. She would endure. She had promised, and she had kept her promise, would continue to keep her promise. But her mind screamed in terror, and she stumbled over her own two feet, and she wondered how hard it would be to survive.

I promise you, I'll be there. I'll come for you.

And she wondered what she would have to do when he did, and how bad it would be.