Guilt

By A. J. Matthews
Copyright 2000

Disclaimer: This is fanfic. I don't own any of these characters or anything else having to do with 'Farscape'... Pity.
Rated PG Spoilers for "A Bug's Life"
Archiving: If you want it - just ask me.
Notes: This is another episode tag for ABL. The idea came to me in the shower as I mulled over a consistent aspect of much of the fanfic I've read, including my own. Thanks to my beta readers: Elisabeth (fallen_angel66), Mark (AerynFan) & Kare (Powrhug)

D'Argo and Chiana had set about the task of disposing of the bodies of the dead Peacekeepers when John left his bedside vigil for a recovering Aeryn. He arrived to find the three naked bodies lined up at an inner airlock door.

Stripped of anything that might be of use or value, he observed. Thonn, Rhed - just grunts doing their jobs - killed by their own. His gaze came to rest on Hassan, her skin color now more like Chiana's than his own, her blonde hair infused with dark blood.

Her blood... I'm still finding dried bits of it on me.

"It wasn't you, John," Chiana repeated as she helped D'Argo move the first body into the airlock. A moment later Thonn was gone.

"This is what they deserve for trying to capture that virus to use as a weapon," D'Argo added derisively.

Rhed was gone. They moved towards Hassan.

"Wait," John said.

"What? Why?" D'Argo asked impatiently.

"We shouldn't just dump her like this."

"Why not?" D'Argo asked, his tone betraying his budding anger.

"It's just not right."

"It was alright for the other two."

"One of us didn't kill them."

"None of us killed her, either."

"I'd just like to see her treated with a little more dignity, that's all."

D'Argo looked at his human crewmate with concern. I'm a warrior, he thought. John is not. He is not used to killing. I would feel remorse as well if it had been me the virus had used. John must feel terrible.

"Will that make you feel any better?" he asked.

"I don't know..."

"What would you have us do?"

"Let me ask Aeryn what would be appropriate," he said, turning to head back to the medical bay.

"You want to know about what?" Aeryn asked incredulously.

"Peacekeeper funeral customs," John repeated, his voice trailing off. "For Hassan. I don't feel right about just tossing her body out into space."

"That's what we'd do," she informed him pointedly. "We don't wallow in the matter like you humans obviously do."

"You'd just chuck her naked body out an airlock?"

"No," Aeryn replied, somewhat chastened. "There'd be a small ceremony. But for us to do that would be... wrong. We're not Peacekeepers - not comrades. And we'd at least put her in a body bag. There's a few over in that locker there."

He retrieved one of the red, white and black bags and headed out the door.

"John..."

"Yeah," he said, looking back at her.

"It wasn't your fault. Let go of the guilt for once."

He turned and left.