|
The episode opens on Earth, at Cape Canaveral. It is sunrise and the sky glows with deep orange and copper light. In the distance, across a body of water - a space shuttle sits at its launch tower. A young man, perhaps 32 years old, is sitting on the hood of his car and contemplating this lonely, fiery vista. His name is John Crichton. He's an athletic fellow with boy-next-door good looks, blue eyes, brown hair- an open face. Perhaps he's thinking of the old maritime rhyme - “Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning...” The scene shifts to soon after, at the Shuttle Launch Command Center astronaut ready-room. Technicians are helping John get geared up in an orange flight suit. His best friend - DK - is with him. With his long sideburns, DK's a bit nerdier and a bit funkier than John - and he seems puzzled by his friends obvious tension. DK: (reassuringly) Launch conditions as of 05:30 are optimal. Final checks are underway and recovery craft in position. John: (unsmiling) How are the CRC numbers? DK: Mid-30s and holding. Meteorology's got some hiccup they're checking out. (he sighs as John whips the launch condition reports out of his hand and turns away to read them himself. DK grabs a magazine and tries another tactic to relax his friend) See our latest press? “Childhood friends out to prove a theory! Can a manned spacecraft overcome atmospheric friction and exponentially increase its speed using only a planets natural gravitational pull?” Huh? (without a word - John takes the magazine and tosses it aside as he turns away. DK is exasperated) Man, what is wrong with you? John: DK, you know that feeling you have the night before something really big's about to happen in your life? It's the night before we graduated high school, it's the night before we started this job... Well I had that feeling last night in quarantine. (DK seems puzzled by John’s seriousness) DK: This experiment that important to you? (but before another word can be said - he spots a hawk-eyed older man enter, and quietly alerts John) Uh-oh, one small step bud... (the hawk-eyed man makes straight for them. He's Jack Crichton - aging, but still handsome flyboy with a shock of wavy silver hair and a strong, erect carriage and a folksy, slightly Texas, drawl. He's clearly in command of Much Awe - and he's John’s father, which seems to be a rather mixed blessing...) Jack: Hiya DK. DK: Sir. Jack: (to John) You're lookin' pretty sharp there - Commander Crichton. John: (with a small smile) Thanks Dad. (he and DK exchange A Look and there's a long, uncomfortable silence as John gets his helmet) Let's do this thing. (cut to moments later as Jack walks with John in a white corridor leading to the launch tower) Jack: I uh - talked to Pete Maxwell and the others at Control. They're going to take real good care of you while you're up there. I heard that you uh - you went AWOL from the Rat Cage this morning. (John laughs) Man, in my day, if I'd ever broken quarantine like that they'd- (but he cuts himself off and looks knowingly at John) Son, you got rattlers in your stomach? John: (macho) Aw - I've been up on the shuttle before, Dad. Twice. Jack: Didn't matter how many times I went up. Every time - rattlers. First EVA, first time I walked on the moon- (John quickly heads off Jack’s recitation of his resume;) John: I'm not goin' on EVA, Dad. I'm not walkin' on the moon. I'm just runnin' a little experiment. Jack: Yeah - an experiment to prove your own theory. Do you have any idea how proud that makes me? That's something I never did. All the guys in the button-down collars and neckties, they got to use their brains. All I ever got to use was my- (John cuts him off by finishing Jack’s sentence for him) John: Guts! And the - seat of m' flight suit! (he glances at Jack with a sardonic chuckle) Jack: Son, I can't help bein' who I am. Who I was. (John stops walking and they pause to face each other. A small entourage of technicians who are trailing them at a short distance, stops too) John: It's not who you are, Dad. I love who you are. It's being the son of who you are. (they both chuckle a little, but it fades fast) Look I uh - can't be your kind of hero. Jack: No you can't be. But each man gets the chance to be his own kind of hero. Your time'll come and when it does - watch out. Chances are, it'll be the last thing you ever expected. (and with that - he takes a puzzle ring on a chain out of his pocket and holds it out to John) John: Oh no. That's your good luck charm. Yuri Gagarin gave you that. (he continues on down the corridor) Jack: (insistent) Listen you hang onto it and you can give it back to me tonight. OK? (John takes the ring and smiles after Jack as the older man exits) (cut to soon after. The bright day is darkened momentarily by the small sun and the pillar of fire upon which the IASA space shuttle rises, away from Earth, past its launch tower - and into orbit. Later - in orbit, the shuttles cargo bay doors open as an IASA public relations announcer back on Earth tells the press what's about to happen) IASAPublicAnnouncer: Ladies and gentlemen of the press. At 26:14 on the flight clock - we begin the major experiment of this shuttle mission. Commander John Crichton will pilot a craft of his own design in a dangerous attempt to use our planets gravity as a speed booster - sling-shotting him off into space at previously unrecorded speeds. If successful, the results are anticipated at the first concrete step towards interstellar travel. As she speaks - up in orbit, the sun, its rays unimpeded by atmosphere - bathes a small craft sitting in the shuttles cargo bay in hard, bright light. The name of this module is the Farscape 1 - it's shaped vaguely like the shuttle itself, but its lines are more fluid. Its short wings are folded upright alongside its body. It's about the size of a killer whale - and John is in its one-man cockpit. He runs through his systems check as it's released from its docking clamps and floats clear of the shuttle. The scene begins to shift between John in the module and DK and the others back at IASA Command on Earth as they speak. John: (businesslike) Canaveral - this is Farscape 1, I am free and flying. Are you with me there Momma Bear? DK: Oh yeah Farscape, I'm reading you loud and clear. (he looks back at Jack, who's listening in and they both smile) John: Authorizing flight computer to initiate ignition sequencing - now. DK: Roger Farscape, you are go for insertion procedure. (and with that - the Farscape’s engines flare to life and it rockets away from the shuttle on a high orbital path around Earth. The ride in the little module is rough - as any high-speed test pilot might expect. John is coolly efficient as he monitors his instruments) John: Approaching maximum velocity in 21 seconds. 18 seconds... Nearing critical altitude phase. (John’s ship streaks along its orbit like a shooting star. Its entire fuselage is engulfed in a blue-white corona. Inside, the whine of its engine is deafening as bright flashes of light thrown up by the forces of his passage strobe across John’s face. Suddenly - back at IASA Control - DK furrows his brow as some new piece of information comes to him over his headset) DK: (concerned) Farscape 1 - hold a moment- (but John's having some trouble hearing) John: Hold? Canaveral - what? DK: (as alarms begin to go off around him) Meteorology reports some kind of electromagnetic wave. Repeat - some kind of wave. John do you read me? John: Yeah - I read you! (barely - and back on Earth, John’s signal is so broken-up that it's virtually unintelligible) DK: John, abort! (but on the module - DK’s voice is little more than staticky garble and John's struggling to maintain control over his bumpy ride) John: (shouting over the noise in the module) CANAVERAL? (and at IASA Command - Jack leans over DK and shouts into the radio himself) Jack:Son, you have to abort! Abort now! But miles overhead - things are well out of control. The speeding module hits the leading edge of an electric-blue wave of light. Its nose dips down and its tail rises up as it is engulfed - and begins to tumble end over end. John grunts as he speeds towards a nexus of light - hits it - and disappears. Back at Canaveral, DK and Jack stand, frozen in the sudden silence that fills their ears from their headsets. There's plenty of noise where John is though - mostly his own screams - as he sits there and looks out his windshield. He's traveling at speeds that he can't even react to, through what appears to be a twisting, irregularly-shaped quicksilver tunnel. Suddenly with a bump - he's out of it. His scream cuts off abruptly. His head wobbles and he sounds like the G-forces he just experienced caused his nose to fill up as he tries to orient himself. John: Oh God! I can't- (he hits his radio switch and manages to get out - in a fairly dignified tone of voice:) Canaveral - this is Farscape 1. I'm OK - repeat - I'm OK. Hey - did you guys get video through all that? (no response) Canaveral? (nothing) DK? Dad? Where are you guys? Where's- (suddenly he notices the darkness out the modules windows - and the indistinct shapes of huge boulders drifting in the gloom nearby) Earth? (but at that moment, he yips and ducks as the module is rocked by the passage of several sleek, black fighter-sized space vehicles as they roar past him at close range) What the-? (apprehensive) Uh... Canaveral? (another of the small spacecraft streaks past him - but this one is too close. It clips one of his wings and spins out of control and disappears in a small, violent explosion against one of the asteroids. John panics momentarily as alarms bleat frantically in the modules cockpit) CANAVERAL! I'VE BEEN HIT! (but to module stabilizes quickly - and John goes very quiet as he clears an asteroid - and sees what the small black craft are after. It's a spaceship - long and golden-bronze with the sleek lines of a great sea animal. She's vast - dwarfing any terrestrial vessel ever built) That's big. (there's a moments pause as he stares) That's really big. (and he suddenly realizes that his disabled module is being drawn directly toward this behemoth) Oh hell. Uh, Canaveral! Dad! DK! I'm being pulled- (he struggles to describe what's happening) Uh - engines not responding and I can't break away! Look can anyone hear me? Canaveral? (and he's in. he watches, helplessly as he's towed by some unseen force down a long, dark, ribbed tunnel. A device on a spine-like track on the top of the tunnel turns ahead of him, seeming to direct the module deeper inside. He can only watch and murmur:) Oh my God... With a gentle bump - the Farscape 1 touches down on the smooth deck of this great ship and. John interrupts his gaping about long enough to flick some switches that fold the little ships wings back up as it rolls to a stop. And then he sees eyes looking in at him through his windshield. Little glowing eyes like tiny lights on the ends of stalks. He stares - unsure of what he's looking at - as the owner of the eyestalks creeps into full view on the outside of the glass. It's round - and its underside appears to be something like rows of pulsating lights. But he hasn't got long to stare for at that moment sparks fly from his cockpit controls and an alarm sounds - fire. He hurriedly pulls out an extinguisher - but as smoke fills the cockpit, he has no choice but to pop the canopy and pile out to continue his fire-fighting efforts from the deck of the docking bay. The little creature that had been crawling on his windshield goes flying with the canopy. The fire is soon out, John pulls off his helmet and tries to make sense of his surroundings -without straying from the side of his module. The huge, dimly lit ship seems full of strange noises, but no life except more of the little yellow dome-shaped creatures which seem to be robotic and who squawk furiously at him. The one that had been on his windshield emerges from under some overturned canisters - one of its eyestalks is dark and limp and it seems to cast him an accusing stare before speeding away. That's it - John makes to climb back into the module - only to find himself face to face with another of the little robots. This one has two good eyestalks - and some sort of nozzle extended from a port in its body which it has aimed at hi. John freezes - and the little robot sprays him with something.. Not long after - John is stumbling through the sinuous, arched corridors of the bronze ship. One of the little yellow robots is herding him along - worrying at his heels like a tiny sheepdog, John is dazed, rubbing at his eyes as if trying to awaken from a dream - but this is no dream. He's nudged into a room - clearly a command center. It's long and low-ceilinged - like a flattened oval. Bronze ribs arch over the room giving it the appearance of looking down a fish's mouth. The design of the place is an odd mix of eye-pleasing Deco lines and organic spontaneity. The forward end of it is dominated by a great oval window through which can he seen the small ships, attacking this larger one like a swarm of bees. The great bonze ship shudders as she takes their fire and the sounds of this place continue to be so outside of his experience that he can't even distinguish what their sources might be. But one likely source - is spoken language. For there in front of the oval viewport are two control consoles - and something is standing at each one. The somethings are clearly people - but what people! One is slender, bald, bright blue and clad in flowing robes. The other is a burly man - sort of. He's dressed in heavy boots and a reddish belted tunic reminiscent of some ancient, barbaric cavalry soldier. But most alarming are the long tentacles that flow from his head down his back and mingle with strands of long red hair. John can only stare. He rubs at his eyes - he can now pick out bizarre sounds that no throat should be able to make, which are coming from the pair of creatures at the consoles as they call to each other. Then the little yellow robot at his feet squawks insistently - and slowly, the two aliens turn to look at him. The blue one is a woman of stunning beauty. Her blue skin is dappled by silvery markings and the wary sidelong gaze she fixes him with is utterly hostile - her name is Zhaan. The male is less sidelong with his hostility. He stares directly at John with small, angry eyes. His nose is armored by a beak-like structure and his cheeks are covered by a red beard. His chin sports short, thick tentacles - they and his forehead are decorated with black tattoos - his name is D'Argo. No one says a word - so John - being the most nervous of the group - opens his mouth. John: Um... Hi. (he waves a little. Zhaan raises her chin and D'Argo hisses) My name's John, John Cri- (but he's cut off by D'Argo, who strides the few steps over to him, clamps one meaty fist onto John’s throat and hoists him off his feet while he snarls something in a language that seem like the growls of an animal to John, who chokes out the words:) I - can't understand what - The little yellow robot whoops, and unfolds a hypodermic extension from its arsenal of attachments, which it proceeds to ram John’s dangling foot with. John:(in a strangled voice) What was-? (but he stops - as almost instantly - the sounds coming from Zhaan’s mouth begin to resolve into words he can understand) Zhaan: I suggest you answer him quickly. You know how Luxans can be. D'Argo: Your ship - what kind is it? Zhaan: Your ship appeared from nowhere and we don't know that technology. Is it something we can use to escape? (the big bronze ship shudders from the relentless assault by the small ships outside) D'Argo: (deadly) We brought you here for one reason - tell us or die with us. (but John is speechless - partly because of the Luxans hand on his windpipe and partly out of pure confoundment. More explosions rock the great ship. Disgusted, D'Argo heaves him in against the back wall of the Command before hurrying back to his console, bellowing) PILOT! I DEMAND YOU GIVE ME MANEUVERABILITY NOW! PILOT! And as John sits on the floor - something answers to the call for “Pilot!” A purple-tinged holographic image of its face appears in a clamshell-like device. Like the blind means elephant - it appears to be many different things. Prominent amber eyes looks out of a nose-less face over a lipless mouth. Its skin is softly creased and great spines stand out from either side of its head and march down its jaw line. Its head is topped by a shell-like structure that cures gently down on either side and gives the impression of someone wearing a broad-brimmed hat. It seems to have large, flexible, insect-like claws instead of hands and when it opens its mouth, an androgynously alto male voice comes out. Pilot: (primly, as he works at his own console somewhere else on the ship) There's nothing I can do - not while the control collar is still in place. Moya can't withstand this assault much longer! (D'Argo rips the cover off a control console and begins to yank tubes and lines that spout sparks and fluid. Pilot eyes him and snaps irritably) Those synapses you are tearing out are not wired to the control collar! D'Argo: (growling) Then I shall keep pulling them until I find the ones that are! (he moves to rip out another console near John and irritably kicks the human out of the way) Get up! John goes sprawling and then obediently starts to get up - only to be sent sprawling again by the entry of yet another of Moya’s charming passengers. This one mows him down with a vehicle that he's riding in - basically a floating chair. Like the Pilot - this one is utterly inhuman in appearance. He's perhaps half a meter tall, with 4 stubby limbs and grey-green skin. He's shaped like a fat teardrop whose top point is split into two droopy, white-haired 'brows' over his eyes. His mouth is very wide and filled with little blunt teeth, his nose is a pair of slits between his eyes and he has a floppy brush of mustache on either side of his upper lip. His voice is gravelly - like a guy who hangs out in a lot of smoky back rooms, and his name is Rygel. Rygel: (to John) Get out of the way! Zhaan: (anxiously, to Rygel) The others - where are they? Rygel: There are no others, I've checked every cell level. I found a manifest. We were scheduled for transport to Terran Raa. D'Argo: (softly) That's a lifers colony. John: Prisoners? You're escaped prisoners? (the others make no response) D'Argo: (with quiet determination) I will not be taken prisoner again. (Rygel turns to leave, but pauses by John, who's stayed on the floor) Rygel: (quietly) They brought you on board didn't they? Don't worry - I'll protect you. I'll look after you now - you look after me later. (John gapes after him as he sails off) Pilot: Attention! Hull integrity is reaching critical compromise. (Zhaan closes her eyes and begins to pray) Zhaan:Shaneea maya kosha visha... (but D'Argo carries on tearing at Moya’s consoles - and suddenly a bright blue flash - accompanied by the sound of something powering back - is seen out the main viewport. The blue woman opens her eyes and looks down at the console in front her) What have you done? D'Argo: What do you mean? Zhaan: (her voice atremble with quiet joy) The coding wall - it's dimming! I've hit the code - I've hit the code! (D'Argo comes to her side to look) Pilot: (almost disbelieving) The control collar - it's coming off! (and sure enough - outside the great bronze ship called Moya - huge black structures that had ringed the forward part of her hull - begin to blow their bolts and drift away into space. They stand and watch as the ships restraints float away and the sound of power returning to her control is heard) D'Argo: Pilot - prepare for immediate starburst! Pilot: (reluctantly) Moya has been restrained so long... (but the Luxan doesn't want to hear excuses) D'Argo: She is a Leviathan! it is the single defensive maneuver that she is capable of! Meanwhile - the release of the control collar is noted by others as well. For outside Moya a ship even bigger than she, moves in the darkness amid the asteroids. It's a black, rather squid-shaped vessel called a Command Carrier. It is the launch base for the small fighters attacking the golden-bronze ship. It puts out a call to its attack force: “Terminate assault! All Prowlers terminate assault!” The fighters begin to veer off - but as Moya prepares to flee - the black-clad pilot of one of them f is unable to break away... And back on Moya, Pilot sits alone at a huge, glowing Console in a dark, cavernous, room. His 4 arms dance across the panels before him as he calls: Pilot: Claw onto something people! Prepare for starburst! (John can't see it - but as he watches the occupants of this ship scramble - he can feel and hear an electric blue ball of energy that flares to life at Moya’s aft end where 3 great sweeping structures like tails meet. Rygel has returned to the Command and stares grimly out the main viewport as the power build-up increases in intensity) Rygel:(with quiet sincerity) I hate starburst. The blue-white light begins to spread forward over Moya’s body along vein-like channels on her hull, completely obscuring her warm colors and sheathing her with a ghostly glow. As the energy reaches her nose, a brilliant halo is formed - a gateway into hyperspace - she disappears into it with a flash - and is gone. (cut to the Command Carrier as another order goes out over general comms: “All Prowlers report to squad leaders or return to carrier.” The scene shifts to its interior, which is all black and white and red. Unlike Moya’s organic look - this ship is all clean, Spartan surfaces and sharp geometric lines. Also unlike Moya - its occupants are completely human in appearance. They're clad in efficient black uniforms, Lieutenant Teeg, is one of them. She's an attractive blond woman with her hair in a tight pull-back. She approaches her superior officer on the command deck) Teeg: Captain? Captain Crais! (Crais glances at her as he moves among the command consoles, keeping watch on his crew. He's a burly, darkly handsome man with strong, sensual features. His black hair is pulled back in a tightly wrapped braid and his mouth is framed by a very short, neatly trimmed mustache and beard) Crais: Yes Lieutenant? Teeg: (she seems reluctant to be the bearer of bad news) The Prowler squad has returned, sir. They report - the Leviathan transport has escaped. One of the prisoners, the Hynerian Royal, somehow secured the key codes to the prisoners cells and - (she gets to the worst part) - there were casualties sir. 2 ships lost and- (but Crais cuts her off) Crais: I don't care about casualties. A Leviathan transporting prisoners does not escape from my custody. Has my brother returned yet? I'll dispatch him in the rear battle fighter to track her down. Teeg: Sir - this is playback from the recon satellite monitoring the pursuit of the Leviathan. (she moves to a console and hits a button - the replay shows an image of the Farscape 1 floating among the asteroids) Crais:(warily) What manner of craft is this? (one of the small black fighters enters the picture) My brothers Prowler. I'm sure that he will- (but he stops, stunned - as his brothers Prowler clips the modules wing and spins off to a fiery death against the face of an asteroid. There's a long silence as Teeg watches her commanding officer) Teeg: We lost a second ship, sir. It was absorbed with the Leviathan when it went into starburst. (but Crais isn't listening to her) Crais: (curtly) I want to see him. Teeg: See him, sir? (Crais indicates the image of the Farscape 1) Crais: Peel back the image. I want to see who's inside. (cut back to Moya as she exits starburst - sliding from nowhere out of another energy halo just like the one she disappeared into. Blue remnants of starburst energy blow off her like cobalt blue fog) Pilot: (exuberant) We've done it! We've escaped! (efficient) Attention! One Prowler traveled with us. D'Argo: Lock its radio, net it and bring it aboard. Pilot: (in a good mood) As good as done! Zhaan: Pilot - does Moya know where we are? Pilot: (confidently) Yes - of course. (less confidently) We're… someplace else. (covering fast) I'll... get back to you on the specifics. (he hurriedly signs off comms. John looks somewhere between dismayed and completely at sea) Zhaan:(eying John) At least we are free. (and in the silence, Rygel makes a terrible nose-clearing sound - and hocks up a big gob of phlegm with he spits into John’s face. The human is too stunned to be silent any longer. He strides to the center of the Command and demands:) John: What is the MATTER with you - people? (for an answer, D'Argo, who's standing several paces behind John, opens his mouth and lashes out with a long, whip-like tongue. John is stung in the neck and has just enough time to turn around and look at the Luxan before dropping to the deck like a sack of potatoes - unconscious) (cut to later on Moya’s Command. D'Argo and Zhaan are alone, monitoring their situation, getting acquainted with their new ship - and each other) D'Argo: (from between clenched teeth) This damned Leviathan has no idea where we are! (sensing his frustration - Zhaan leaves her console and comes to stand next to him) Zhaan: I am Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan. And you? D'Argo: Ka D'Argo. You are Delvian. Zhaan: A priest. (D'Argo seems wary of her though) D'Argo: I have heard of your kinds practices. Your - appetites. Zhaan:(smiling) Such as? D'Argo: (hesitant) I've - heard of something known as the uh - 4th sensation. Zhaan:(sensually) I have experienced this. Not lately. D'Argo: (gruffly awkward. He seems anxious to change the subject) Um... Uh -why were you uh...? Why have you uh...? Zhaan: Imprisoned? Because on my homeworld, even among my kind - I was something of an anarchist. Actually - I was the leading anarchist. And you? D'Argo:I killed a fellow soldier. My commanding officer. Zhaan: How old are you? D'Argo: 30 cycles. Zhaan: (playfully) Ah - you are but a boy! D'Argo: (soberly proud) I am not. I am a Luxan warrior. I have seen 2 battle campaigns. Zhaan: (teasing) Only 2? (D'Argo changes the subject again) D'Argo: You know Peacekeeper coding? (this time Zhaan gets back to business with him) Zhaan: Yes, I spent 3 cycles on a maximum labor planet. D'Argo: Which one? Zhaan: Mikar 7. Assigned to Peacekeeper intel and interface. D'Argo: I was on Mikar 7. Zhaan: Truly? D'Argo: On the 93rd level - in the chemical mines. (he's finally managed to impress Zhaan, who looks at him, startled) Zhaan: Why aren't you dead? D'Argo: I often ask myself the same question. Or assumed the others died while the Peacekeepers looked on. Somehow it made me stronger. I suppose the warrior in me became too strong not to survive. Zhaan: Perhaps you'd survived for this D'Argo: This escape? I doubt it will last long enough for the Peacekeepers even to note it in their logs. Zhaan: Not this escape itself but what we pray will be the result - freedom. D'Argo: (amused despite himself) That is a very Delvian way to look at the situation. Zhaan: I am nothing if not a product of my upbringing. D'Argo: And I am mine. Zhaan: Then perhaps together, a warrior and a priest can help save each other. (and they permit themselves an appreciative look at each other) (cut to elsewhere on Moya as John comes to. He's laying on the floor, on his back, in a holding cell) John: (quickly closing his eyes) Oh please - let it all be a dream - a very bad and very twisted dream. (but alas - the infernal squeaking of the little yellow robots - which are called DRDs - dashes his hopes. He opens his eyes and looks. One wall of the holding cell is an open grate of randomly placed curved and flattened strips of bronze metal. It faces onto a corridor where two DRDs sit watching him. They scuttle away at the approach of Rygel, who sails up on his hoverchair and, ignoring John, begins to poke at a little keypad on the wall outside the cell. John woozily rolls over on one elbow and tries to get the Hynerians attention) What um...? Where-? (suddenly, he realizes that he is stark naked) Where are my clothes? (Rygel just pokes away at the keypad. John spots his clothes in a corner and scuttles off in a modest crouch to retrieve them) HEY! WHY DID YOU TAKE OFF MY CLOTHES? Rygel: I am Rygel the XVI, Dominar to over 600 billion people. I don't need to talk to you! John: (surly) I thought you were a prisoner. Rygel: Falsely imprisoned. My cousin Bishan stole my throne from me while I slept - a mistake I will soon be correcting. Your garments were removed so that we could examine you. John: (worried) Exa-? Examine me? How? Where? Wait a minute - one of those - those mechanical things injected me right here! Rygel: Translator microbes. John: (in a very small voice) Microbes? Rygel: (perfunctory, as he works on the keypad) They colonize at the base of the brain - allow us to understand each other. Why you weren't injected at birth I cannot fathom! John: (aghast as he tries to take it all in) “Colonize.” “Brain.” W-why have you got me locked in here? I-I-I'm not here to harm you - hell I wouldn't know how to harm you. Rygel: We can no more trust you than we can trust that! (John’s eyes follow Rygel’s pointing finger to the back of the cell he's standing in. There, on a bench against the rear wall, sits an evil-looking figure clad in black from head to toe. Its featureless black helmet gives it an insectile appearance and John watches with pure dread as it lurches to life and begins to undo the seals of its black covering. John glances quickly at Rygel for help - which isn't forthcoming of course - and then back at the creature in his cell as it pulls off its helmet and reveals itself to be - an attractive young woman. Completely human in appearance. She's not especially friendly-looking - but then she's just been taken prisoner too. Her features are lean and hard, but stray tresses of her wavy brunette hair soften her face somewhat. A limp smile of relief spreads over John’s face and he makes a beeline for her - at last! Someone he can relate to! He extends his hand in greeting) John: (softly) Hi. Uh - my name's John- (and without hardly looking at him , Aeryn - for that is the woman’s name - grabs his arm and flips him across the room onto the floor. he tries to get up but she efficiently kicks him back down as Rygel watches. She then stalks over to the human and drops to her knees, straddling his chest - and places one hand on his throat) Aeryn: (sharply) What is your rank and regiment? And why are you out of uniform? Rank and regiment now! (but John can only lay there and look up at her like the dismayed naïf that he is. Disgusted, Aeryn rises, marches over to the grated cell door and begins to heave at it while snarling at Rygel) Let me out of here you Hynerian slug! Rygel: Your efforts are wasted Peacekeeper. You of all people should know that! (meanwhile, John is shakily getting to his feet) John: Peacekeeper? You're one of those out there attacking the ship? (incredulous) They think I'm one of you? Aeryn: (coldly businesslike - to John) Officer Aeryn Sun, Special Peacekeeper Commando, Icarion Company, Pleisar Regiment. Identify - yourself. John: My rank - is Commander. I'm not military. At least not any military you know. I'm a damn scientist. Aeryn stares coldly at him - but Rygel has little interest in either of these losers. He makes another swat at the keypad on the wall and is rewarded with a compartment swinging open. It's a safe piles with the belongings of the ships former prisoners. Pleased, he lifts a jewel from the jumble of items and eyes it. Rygel: It's been so long... (at that moment, D'Argo and Zhaan appear in the corridor. He heads for the treasure trove uncovered by Rygel and she approaches the cell door) D'Argo: Our possessions! My blade! Rygel: (hissing) Hands off, Luxan! (but D'Argo's only interested in one thing and takes it, ignoring the Hynerian. It's a heavy, sword like weapon called a Qualta blade) Zhaan: (as she peers into the cell) Ah - you're awake. - both of you. (she notes Aeryn’s surly expression and says sweetly) A problem my dear? You should be used to viewing the likes of us through bars. John: (pleading) You need to listen to me - I'm not what you think I am! Zhaan: Not a Peacekeeper? Yes we know that now. You have some decidedly unfamiliar bacteria living within you. John: I'm from a planet called Earth - I'm human. Homo sapiens sapien. (but Zhaan raises a hand to stop him) Zhaan: It's time to eat. (she opens the cell door. and John doesn't make a move as he stands there face to face with D'Argo) John: Eat what? (the Luxan cocks his head cryptically back at him) (cut back to the Peacekeeper Command Carrier where Crais is nursing his hatred) Crais: (pensively, to himself) Whoever killed my brother will pay dearly. (Teeg approaches) Teeg: Captain - the techs are completing the imaging of the modules pilot. Crais: Show me. (they move to the imaging device) Teeg: On the final sweep now sir. (on the screen, an image of John’s face behind the clear glass of his helmet, in the cockpit of the Farscape 1 resolves. Teeg seems surprised) He's Sebacean. Crais: Inform the rear battle fighter. They will take charge of the armada. We - are going after the Leviathan. Teeg: But sir, regulations- Crais: That is a direct order - Lieutenant. (cut back to Moya as John walks through the gently curving corridors of the strangely beautiful and slightly funky ship with his captors. His and Aeryn’s hands are restrained) John: Look you know I'm not a Peacekeeper - (he holds out his hands to Zhaan) - how about you get this stuff off my wrists? Zhaan: We still do not know your loyalties. John: My loyalties? I just got here! You know - you're the first alien contact anybody from my planet has ever made. I mean, we dreamed about it, made movies about it but- (he forgets about he organic handcuffs on his wrists as he gapes around the ship and his wonder begins to bubble up all over the place) By the way - what part of the universe are we in? Are we still in Orion’s Arm? Still in the Mil...ky... Waaay... (he trails off with a little chuckle at his own silliness) You have no idea what I'm talking about do you? I need to see some star charts, get some common points of reference- Damn! This ship is amazing! What kind of-? Zhaan: She's a Leviathan. A biomechanoid. A living ship. (John stops in his tracks to gape about, but he hurries on with the encouragement of a menacing growl from D'Argo) (cut to soon after on Moya’s Command. Aeryn, John and Rygel are at a table eating - well Rygel and Aeryn are eating. John is examining the food, which resembles large, oddly colored dog kibble and evidently tastes like it, while listening to D'Argo and Pilot bicker) D'Argo: (furious) You blame me? If I hadn't pulled those wires your precious Moya would still be wearing that control collar! Pilot: (prim But in doing so you also caused Moya to hemorrhage most of her iriscentent fluid. D'Argo: Leading to what result, Pilot? Pilot: (disgusted) Leading to our current maximum speed which is barely hetch 2. Moya and I don't want to... (as he, D'Argo and Zhaan continue to talk - John turns to ask Aeryn a quiet question) John: Why are they doing this? Feeding us? Aeryn: They'll need information if they're going to survive. They're hoping we'll provide it. (Rygel makes some choking sounds as he stuffs his face) I'd eat - if I were you. (as Pilot is heard announcing their approach to some planet - Aeryn slips a 2-tined fork up her sleeve as she murmurs to) It may be the only chance we get. John: (warily) “We”? (Zhaan approaches their table) Zhaan: The ships Pilot has just informed us that we are approaching an inhabited system - with a commerce planet. (Rygel is thrilled) Rygel: A commerce planet! Excellent! We need many things! Hynerian cream soap, definitely. Some fresh janeray syrup to get rid of the taste of these food cubes- (but D'Argo brusquely puts the kibosh on the fantasy shopping spree) D'Argo: We need - iriscentent fluid. Rygel: How dare you, you Luxan slime! D'Argo: Silence - your Eminence. I've been searching for a reason not to jettison you with the next refuse dump. Rygel: (outraged) You'd dump ME? I bribed the maintenance drones at the last checkpoint! I secured the cell codes that allowed for your escape! Zhaan: Gentlemen - Gentlemen, I suggest we focus on the situation at hand. (the two men glare at each other - but level off. Zhaan looks pointedly at Aeryn and John) Before we approach this planet we must know - Is there Peacekeeper presence in this system? (but Aeryn just shovels food into mouth and says nothing, so Zhaan looks at John, who looks back at her, wide-eyed) John: I don't know. Wish I did. D'Argo: We are wasting time we do not have. She is infantry - Peacekeeper Command tells her where to fight and die. (the high-pitched sound of air escaping from somewhere is heard) This one - is some kind of higher brain function deficient. (as he speaks, the pitch of D’Argo’s voice climbs steadily) How he escaped then genetic sieving process I do not know- (more rude sounds are heard - definitely emanating from Rygel. Everyone stops - and Zhaan says in an absurdly high voice) Zhaan: Rygel? John: (shocked, squeaking) What just happened? Rygel:(in a defensive, gravelly soprano) It's a perfectly natural bodily function! And it's odorless! D'Argo: (like an infuriated Munchkin) So your loyal subjects tell you! John: (incredulous) You fart helium!? Rygel: Sometimes. When I'm nervous - or angry! (at that moment. Pilot mercifully interrupts via comm) Pilot: Attention! I thought you would want to know - we are entering planetary orbit. Zhaan: Thank you, Pilot. (she begins to turn away - but D'Argo senses something and makes a sudden lunge for Aeryn that sends John sprawling again. A moment later - the Luxan holds up the concealed fork for the Delvian to see) (cut to soon after, on the commerce planet. D'Argo keeps watch for Peacekeepers while Zhaan and Rygel shop for supplies. The market is like and outdoor, nighttime bazaar. Merchants from a dozen species hawk their wares from stall to an equally diverse crowd. The dealer in iriscentent fluid resembles a giant spider whose mandibles are studded with hundreds of irregularly placed teeth. His language is like the hisses of everything that hisses rolled together - but Rygel clearly understands every nuance as he barters with some of the baubles from Moya’s safe) Rygel: You know you only expose your ignorance if you don't concede knowledge of the Hurlian stone! Proprietor: (hissing) 20. Rygel: 20 barrels of fluid! There was a time when you would have been - disemboweled with a dull Lashlan spade for half such an insult to me! (the Proprietor spreads his mandibles and hisses like a pit of angry snakes. Rygel smiles with satisfaction) 35? (cut back to Moya, where Aeryn and John have been left securely locked in their cell. Aeryn is straining at the door and John is sitting and moping) John: (muttering to himself) Boy, was Spielberg ever wrong. “Close Encounters” - my ass. (there's a long silence during with only Aeryn’s grunting can he heard) Wormhole... I must have come here through a wormhole- (louder, to Aeryn) I must have come here through a wormhole! (she casts him the sort of look one is apt to cast Annoyingly Useless Objects, and leans wearily on the against the grate. John continues to talk to himself) Yeah. So if I did come here through a wormhole then the only way I'm going to get back is to - find another wormhole. Or to create one. Yeah. Right. Aeryn: (exasperated) Look - you want to make one of these - wormhole - things of yours? How do you expect to do that from inside this cell? (She turns back to the door - and John whistles. She looks back at him - and he taps his nose with a fork he's pulled from his sleeve) (cut to soon after. Aeryn and John are out of their cell and she's leading him through Moya’s dim corridors) Aeryn: Come on, move faster! John: What are you doing? Aeryn: I'm going to sabotage this ship. John: Sabotage? Give me a break - they haven't hurt us! (he reaches to stop her and she rounds on him. He backs off the touching - but sticks to his guns otherwise) How about we show them a little compassion? Aeryn: (impatient) “Compassion”? What is “compassion”? John: Compassion? Wh- you're kidding right? It's a feeling that you have when you see someone else’s pain and instead of taking advantage of their weakness you help 'em. Aeryn: (nodding) Oh. I know this feeling. John: Yeah well it is a fairly common human feeling. Aeryn: I hate it. John: You know what? I'm on the wrong team here, I'm just going to stay. (he heads back in the direction they came from) Aeryn: Fine. Do what you want. But if you stay here with these lowlifes, you'll die with them. (annoyed, John turns back) John: Yeah but how do I know I can trust you? Aeryn: You don't. That's just another thing you don't know. (she heads off, leaving John is more annoyed than ever) John: Damn! (cut to moments later in Moya’s hangar bay as Aeryn jogs in, followed by John) Aeryn: (glancing at the Farscape 1) What is that? John: (proudly) That's cutting edge technology. Aeryn: We're taking mine. (moments later Aeryn’s Prowler is arcing away from Moya toward the dull brown commerce planet. The scene then shifts to Crais' Command Carrier as Teeg and Crais walk briskly onto the command deck) Teeg: Captain! We are receiving a transmission from one of the outer systems. It's Aeryn Sun, the Prowler pilot we thought lost. She was taken captive aboard the Leviathan but she's escaped. She has the being from the white pod with her. (cut back to the commerce planet where John steps out into the dark marketplace, lit by small, open fires and with spaceships humming overhead. Imp like alien creatures scuttle among the shadows. John stops for a moment and gapes) John: (somewhere between awed and terrified) I'm on another planet. But nearby - some aliens who would seem almost comfortingly familiar to John about now are getting an alert too. D'Argo:(into his comm) Yes Pilot. Understood. (he turns to Zhaan) The female Peacekeeper and the human have just escaped and there's a full Command Carrier on approach to this planet. Zhaan: (aghast) A full Carrier? Crais! But it makes no sense for him to come after us himself. D'Argo: (cannily) Unless the two who have escaped are something very special. This barter session is over. (he stalks off with Zhaan in tow to fetch Rygel, who's still dickering with the toothy spider. The Luxan leans down and lays a hand on the Hynerians tunic) Trouble. We must go. (but Rygel is loath to be pulled away from a good shopping expedition and just turns casually back to the Proprietor) Rygel: What are you asking for those Wellan glow crystals? WHAA! (but D'Argo is in no mood. He whips Rygel bodily out of his chair and carries him off while the Proprietor roars - perhaps annoyed at the loss of a good customer...) (cut back to John, Aeryn has joined him) Aeryn: Come on. I've relayed our rendezvous point and we can get off this waste hole of a planet. (as they turn to go - a barrel-shaped vessel rises into the night from the nearby spaceport) That's the Leviathans pod! They're getting away! Come on, we have to report it. John: Hey aren't we about to be rescued any minute? I mean - look - they're no danger to us. Right? Aeryn:(annoyed by John’s thickness) They are prisoners! Escaped prisoners? They must be recaptured. (and at that moment, D'Argo steps out of the shadows, his Qualta in hand) D'Argo: Or destroyed. (Aeryn bolts - D'Argo blocks her and snarls) Do not tempt me! John: You need to get out of here. There's a ship full of Peacekeepers on its way here right now! Aeryn: (to John) Traitor! D'Argo: That's why I want you both aboard Moya - as insurance. John: Just go, before- (nut at that moment, in the twilit street behind D'Argo - he spots a group of black-clad soldiers, with black rifles out and at the ready. In their midst walks a darkly handsome man with black hair. He's wearing a black belted coat and a skullcap with a dented crown reminiscent of old Japanese haberdashery. Aeryn snaps to attention - and John takes a wary step or two backwards) D'Argo: You are such fools. I will not fall for such an ancient ruse. (oh yes you will - Crais is close enough to have heard that remark) Crais: But fall you will, Luxan! (to his troops) If the Luxan gives you any trouble - kill him. (it takes the PK troops a minute or so to subdue and disarm D'Argo - but despite his enraged snarls - he is quickly brought under control as John watches, dismayed) Aeryn: Captain Crais. (he ignores her and goes straight for John) Crais: Name. John: It's uh - John Crichton. Crais: And where are you from - John Crichton? Aeryn: Sir he claims to be a human from a planet called Erp - but he's shown himself to be- (Crais cuts her off) Crais: To be what, Officer Sun? A clever impostor. An accomplice to a ship full of escaping prisoners. My brothers murderer. John: Your brothers what? Crais: You charged my brothers' Prowler in that white - death pod of yours. John: Wait a minute - Y-you talking about that near miss I had the first minute I got here? That was an accident. Crais: That was no near miss for my brother. (John is speechless as Crais turns away from him) A human? That will require some study. I will - personally - enjoy pulling you apart to see what you are made of. (he makes to leave and his soldiers move in to take custody of John) John: HEY! Aeryn: (to Crais) Wait- (Crais pauses) Crais: (dangerously) Yes Officer Sun? You know something about this - alien? Aeryn: (stiffly at attention) Only that I have spent time with him sir - and I - believe him when he says that what happened to your brother was an accident. I don't believe that he is brave enough or intelligent enough to attack one of our Prowlers intentionally. Crais: Exactly how much time have you spent with this human? (there's a long silence as Aeryn looks suddenly very uneasy. John senses her danger) John: (quietly) Not a lot. Not much at all. (Crais ignores him and continues to Aeryn) Crais: Because as you know - Peacekeeper High Command has very clear parameters regarding contact with unclassified alien life forms. You may have very well exceeded those parameters Officer Sun. Aeryn: No, sir- (but Crais just keeps talking over her) Crais: You may be irreversibly contaminated. Aeryn: No! Sir, I- (but the PK captain is done here and turns away with satisfaction) Crais: (to his troops, almost jovial) Take them away! Take them all away! Prepare them for transit while we locate the other prisoners. D'Argo: (to Crais as he is dragged away) Warrior to warrior - I vow one day I WILL kill you! (cut back to Moya’s Command where Rygel is snacking on something from a jar while Zhaan anxiously awaits word of readiness to leave from everyone) Zhaan: Pilot - how's it coming? Pilot: (as expansively pleased as a guy with a big truck who's found a cheap gas station) Fuel tanks are nearly full. Should be another minute or two. Zhaan: Any word from D'Argo? Pilot: None. (sincerely) I'm sorry. (Zhaan leaves the Command and Rygel eats from his jar with the relish of a guy for whom eating is half the fun of watching a good movie) (cut back to the commerce planet where the PK soldiers are securing Aeryn, D'Argo and John in an alley while they hunt for Zhaan and Rygel) PKSoldier: (as he searches and cuffs John) Right turn around. (he finds Jack’s lucky puzzle ring) What is this thing? John: It's a toy. A puzzle. You have to figure out how to take it apart and put it back together again. PKSoldier: A field resourcefulness exercise? (John smiles despite himself. And then he has an idea) John: Something like that. (he shows the man what to do with it) Here - pull that loop through there. PKSoldier: Yeah... John: Then that one... PKSoldier: Yeah right - I got the hang of this. John:Now figure out how to put it back together again. (and as the guy messes with the ring - some of his comrades spot him) SecondPKSoldier: What is this? ThirdPKSoldier:It's a weapon! SecondPKSoldier: You fool Now give it here before you-! PKSoldier: No! ThirdPKSoldier: Don't do that! (and while the menacing black-clad soldiers squabble over the ring - John grabs a gun from one of them and holds it in his cuffed hands) John: Freeze! (there's more yelling from the soldiers as they dive for cover and shots are fired) Don't move! Or I'll fill you full of- (he has to think for a moment about what comes out of the gun he has in hands when he pulls the trigger, and finishes uncertainly) - little yellow bolts of light... (silence reigns) Throw me the key! (someone complies with his demand, he catches it and then waves the gun at the soldiers) On the ground - now! (Aeryn is appalled by all this and her comrades begin to work on her) PKSoldier: Give up now Officer Sun - you might avoid the death sentence! D'Argo: (to John) Unlock me and then I will unlock you. Aeryn: No - me. (John hesitates) Come on! There isn't time! John:(to D'Argo) Unlock me. (he gives the key to D'Argo and fires at PKs as they try to move) Down! (to D'Argo, who is hesitating) If you run - you're going to have to find someone else to unlock you, then you're going to have to explain these Peacekeeper handcuffs. ThirdPKSoldier: Give up now Officer Sun. You might avoid the death sentence. (D'Argo gives in and unlocks John’s cuffs) D'Argo: Now unlock me. Aeryn: No! He is a criminal! John: We all are. SecondPKSoldier: Officer Sun! John: (to D'Argo) Can you get me away from here? D'Argo: What? John: Can you get me off this rock - away from these over-amped rent-a-cops? Away from Crais? And we take her too. D'Argo: What? Never! I will take you. You are manageable, but she- John: If she stays - we all stay. (there's a long silence while D'Argo considers his options - and then he takes the gun and holds off the PKs while John unlocks first him, and then turns to Aeryn) Aeryn: No - I will not come with you! John: You've been irreversibly contaminated - remember? D'Argo: It means death. Aeryn:It is my duty - my breeding since birth. It's what I am. John: You can be more. (cut back to Moya's Command) Zhaan: Say again Pilot? Pilot: It is D'Argo in the arriving Prowler. He is telling us to leave orbit immediately. Zhaan: (joyously relieved) Thank Khalaan! Pilot: The Peacekeeper female and that - other one - are with him. Rygel: Can't you see he's under duress? It's a trap! I'll take them in the transport hangar and- (but everyone ignores him) Zhaan: Pilot break orbit! Pilot: (very smoothly, as if he knows how to get places) Destination? (at that moment, D'Argo enters with John and Aeryn in tow and answers Pilot) D'Argo:The Uncharted Territories. (Rygel makes a huge sound of disgust) I'll explain later. Pilot: Your attention! Distance between the pursuing Peacekeeper Carrier and Moya - 60 metras and closing. They are bringing around their frag cannons. John: “Frag cannons”? D'Argo: What is the range of their frag cannons? Pilot: I'm afraid neither Moya nor I, is sufficiently conversed with Peacekeeper technology. (D'Argo and John look at Aeryn, who looks a little ill, but spills) Aeryn: 45 metras. John: Let's just do another one of those starburst things. Zhaan: There's no time. The Leviathan must restore her energy reserves. Pilot: 50 metras. (they all just stand there - there's no way they can get enough speed to put enough distance between them and the Carrier. John whips out a pen) John: I need paper. Aeryn: Paper? John: To write on. (everyone stares at him and he drops to a clear expanse of floor) Turn this ship around! Rygel:What? John:We have to go back toward the planet. Rygel: Go back to the planet? Pilot: Frag cannons are locking on. Zhaan: Crichton - what are you doing? John: It's a theory - it has to do with overcoming atmospheric friction. Rygel: Are you completely insane? John: (to Pilot) Listen we're going to have to hit a pretty exact trajectory. Can you do that? Pilot: (not about to have any part of this nonsense) I'm doing all I can maintaining Moya’s regular systems at this speed. John: Well - can this ship - thing - be flown manually? Rygel: (sneering) Manually? D'Argo:Yes, but there are- John: Good. (to D'Argo) You do it. D'Argo: (in a tone that seems to indicate being a Pilot is pretty darn low indeed) I am not trained as a pilot. John: Fine. (to Aeryn) You're the experienced pilot. You fly. Aeryn: No. Rygel: This is madness! And just outside Moya - the Command Carrier comes around and Crais gives the order: “Weapons control - full charge.” On Moya’s Command - Zhaan holds up her hands. Zhaan: It appears our only alternative is death. (D'Argo is not down with that - with a furious hiss - he seizes Aeryn and drags her to one of the Command stations) Rygel: What a charmer! D'Argo: PILOT! GIVE ME MANEUVERABILITY NOW! (but the 4-armed creature in the heart of the ship is unwilling to remand his ship to anyone) Pilot: We may dodge one shot but never- (he's cut off by a chorus of yells from his passengers “DO IT!” and in his Den - Pilot cuts loose with a long, furious grunt as he hits the sequence to pass maneuverability to the others. On the Command - an apparatus like a sundial, ringed with arcane figures and with a stylized Pilots claw joystick, rotates up front of Aeryn, who lays her hand on it - and Moya begins to move) (cut to the Command Carrier) Crais: Fire! (the Carriers frag cannons pump as the rebound from the force their fire - but the shots are wide as Moya dips away) Crewman: Target is banking. Crais: Reacquire. Crewman: Banking towards us sir! Teeg: She's accelerating sir! (Moya rockets past the Carrier at close range. Crais is furious. He marches to the weapons control console himself and sweeps his hand over it) Crais: We end this - now! (cut to Moya’s Command. The great ship is shuddering and the sounds of metal strain can be heard) John: (to Aeryn) Just go for the maximum and let the planets' gravity pull us in. D'Argo: (calling speed) That's 9! John: Dive straight into the atmosphere. 28 to 38 degrees - you got it? Rygel: (hanging on for dear life) Do it! If you got to do it!! John: More speed - more speed to sling-shot us out. Pilot: (calling speed/trajectory) We are there! (the ride on Moya is rough as she dives toward the planet and is buffeted by its gravity - but Aeryn’s hand and eye is steady. Cut to the Command Carrier, where Teeg points in disbelief as the great Leviathan skims the upper atmosphere of the planet and throws out a trail of glowing, superheated gases in her wake) Teeg: Sir - the Leviathan, she's- (but Crais snaps her off) Crais: I can see that Lieutenant! (cut back to Moya as her surf over the planets atmosphere reaches its maximum velocity) John: Pull out! Pull out now! (Aeryn pulls up, and with a snap of bright light - Moya rockets up, past the Command Carrier and into deep space) (cut briefly to the Carrier as Teeg turns to Crais) Teeg:She's off our scanners sir. We've lost her. (Crais' jaw sets a bit tighter as his eyes wander in the direction Moya went - and he says nothing) (cut back to Moya, where Rygel crawls out from under the table he'd been hiding beneath) Pilot: (stunned) It's gone. John: (to Aeryn) Thank you. Pilot: (elated) It's gone! Zhaan: You can let go now John. Thank you.(she takes his head in her hands and puts her mouth to his ear. John jumps, and D'Argo gasps, a little enviously. The human looks around, as if hoping for an explanation of what Zhaan just did - but no one says a word, so he rolls his head to cracks his neck...) (cut to later. Moya is quiet and the crew have gone their separate ways on the great ship. John is in the hangar bay collecting his emergency bag from the Farscape 1. D'Argo is elsewhere, intently honing the blade of his Qualta. Zhaan is sitting in her cell - now her quarters. She is naked, and saying a quiet chant to her Goddess) Zhaan: Linai nya nysu, linai nya nysu, gorr laimu, gorr laimu... John makes his lonely way out of the hangar bay - which flows into a another large open area - a maintenance bay. Suddenly, D'Argo appears out of nowhere and accosts him with sharp shove. D'Argo: (aggressively) We need to talk! (John gives the much bigger Luxan a shove in return) John: Get your hands off me. D'Argo: You have a warriors instinct. Good. We'll need that. John: Cool. (makes to walk on - but D'Argo attacks. John is shoved up against the wall of the corridor and pinned there - with the tip of the Luxans Qualta at his throat) D'Argo: (intense) I have spent 8 degrading cycles aboard this ship and now I'm finally liberated! John: Congratulations. D'Argo: I don't know who you are, where you're from or what you want. But if you threaten my freedom - I'll kill you. (he releases John and leaves. The human tries to collect himself - then someone else pipes up. Aeryn is lounging between the curved ribs of Moya’s wall, and witnessed the whole exchange with D'Argo) Aeryn: (blandly) They're a brutal race. Uncivilized, indiscriminate in their deployment of violence. John: Right. Not like your people. Aeryn: (defensive) My people - might have helped you if you hadn't have put us into this position. John: Me? Nonono - try your boy Crais. Aeryn: So you haven't forgotten about him? I know he hasn't forgotten about you. John: Yeah well the uh - transparent purple guy - what's his name? Pilot? He said that we've passed into the Uncharted Territories and that your people don't have jurisdiction. Aeryn: Crais thinks you killed his brother. In such a case - would you obey jurisdictional boundaries? (John makes no answer, and in the uneasy silence that follows, Aeryn gets up and approaches him to say quietly:) Listen to me - if you want to live - chose your allegiances carefully. That's not to say that there's any guarantees though. (and with that - she leaves him alone with the DRDs. He eyes them - and sees the one with one dead and broken eyestalk) John: C'mere. I'm not going to hurt you - come here. (he sits down at a table and removes a roll of electrical tape and a small tape recorder from his bag. He begins to talk into the recorder as he fixes up the little robots broken headlight) Hey Dad - it worked! DK’s and my theory- it actually worked. Sort of... Look I know this is uh - crazy - I mean - you're never gonna get this message, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm alive. (to the skittish DRD) Whoa, hold still, hold still. (to the recorder) Don't know where I am. Technically, I don't know how I got here - but I'm not gonna stop tryin' to get home. (to the DRD, whose little broken eye lights up again) See? You're fixed. Go play. (but as he deals with the DRD - Rygel appears behind him - and reaches for the tape recorder. John senses him and claps one hand down on the Hynerians wrist) Hey! What the hell are you doing? Rygel: Your equipment may be worth something in trade. John: My equipment. It's mine. (he shoves Rygel’s sticky little fingers away) Rygel: (mocking) Are you a sound sleeper? (and with a sly chuckle, he sails off in his hoverchair, leaving John looking unhappy - and spooked) John: (to the recorder) And there's life out here Dad. Weird, amazing - psychotic - life. And uh - in Technicolor. Hey - Dad you know those rattlers in the stomach we talked about? Well I got 'em now... THE END |