Farscape Episode 3.09: “Losing Time”
Nov. 25th, 2015 12:24 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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scifi_rewatchIn a way, this is a big episode for me. Those of you in the know might recognize my “Farscape” icon as originating from this hour. I still remember all of the promos for mid-season three; I think they started up even before the two Johns were split. My icon, John and Chiana moving their heads closer together, open-mouthed, was one of the big teasers. This probably also meant that I wasn’t the only John/Chiana shipper around, so booyah. :P
I waited on pins and needles, convinced that at long last this couple might get a little action. By this time the Johns were split, and one went to Talyn and the other stayed on Moya, yadda yadda, and it became apparent that this could turn into one of those convenient scenarios—with Aeryn gone, Moya John, or MJ, might require a little distraction. :P Looking back on it, I’m rather relieved that he grew distracted by wormholes, vs what could have been a disastrous affair with Chiana (and hell, she was just coming off one of those. :P) There’s still a spark that exists between John and Chiana (and they’re rather similar characters, as I’ve been exploring recently) but for the most part it’s not realized sexually, and I’ll just leave it at that up here, hee.
Otherwise, the A plot is largely your standard “ship in trouble from hostile aliens” scheme, which some of the Scaper Chronicles podcasters found a bit redundant.. There are some intriguing reveals in it, however, and a more lasting consequence at the end. But really, it’s the B storyline, off of Moya and with our main antagonist, that is laying down some roots. I’ve always found it to be interesting stuff, but with “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” in theatres this week, this is almost uncanny timing to write a recap. “Farscape”’s b-storyline deals with justifying war based on genocidal treatment, hidden weapons and controlling the narrative around them, and the price of too much power, to name some things; all themes that have been swirling around my mind with regards to the Hunger Games franchise. I’m so grateful that this (and the wonderful Scaper Chronicles podcast) encouraged me to look at “Farscape” in a deeper way.
Episode summary is here, courtesy of the John and Aeryn Fansite.
So, general A-line plot: after days of allowing John to go wormhole hunting, the others try and turn the ship around, but not before they’re boarded by a couple of “energy riders,” light blue, translucent flying figures that take over bodies and control the hosts. The first one goes to John, knocking him out and making him bleed, though the others think he’s just exhausted and nuts. Still, we stick with John, who seems to be “losing time” while sitting down, and suddenly he’s bleeding again and water is dripping everywhere. What’s with that water, huh? Apparently there are temperature regulation problems on Moya, and Jool even slips into a midriff-baring goth steampunk outfit that stays with her for much of the rest of the series. :P The group does an experiment with DRD Pike recording them; looks like they get knocked out and possessed for half an arn without realizing it! So they go to Pilot, and wuddaya know, Pilot’s been taken over by another energy rider, whom we later learn is called Tallip. (Kudos to Lani and Gigi for their weird, alien voices, btw.) Tallip is looking for the first energy rider, whom he calls a child and a fugitive, and claims that this one doesn’t have the wherewithal to ultimately not do serious damage to the host. The crew gets to discover which of them is the host, given that that person should forget details about his or her personal life. First they think it’s Jool, but then John finds out in Moya’s cool new starburst room that it’s actually Chiana. Possessed Chiana tells John that the other rider is into power and will kill all of them, and then they share, well a version of that sexual moment I was looking for. :p Ultimately, Tallip does exorcise and kill the other rider, but he also doesn’t want to give up control of Pilot. So the crew flushes him out with the help of Moya, DRD Pike and the starburst room, and then things mostly go back to normal, it seems, except for Chiana’s strange, new prescience. Just a small moment of that this episode; nothing too explanatory.
One of the big, overarching themes about this series of episodes is how splitting John into two people is perhaps the most comprehensive character study we can ever get out of anyone. Talyn John has his star chars, Winona, and Aeryn, whom he refers to as his constant. If Aeryn is TJ’s constant, then she’s also MJ’s constant. But Aeryn isn’t with MJ so he has to focus his attention elsewhere…mainly, towards wormholes. The idea of home is perhaps a lesser constant for him, or at least an ideal worth striving for. John is largely exhausted and petulant in the beginning of the hour; he hasn’t slept for days and he refuses to steer from course, even when the rest of his crew wants to do something else. Then, specific to this episode, there is the issue of John’s unexplained blood wounds. It didn’t add anything directly to the story (except, perhaps, for a state of panic or at least unease,) and it is never concretely explained away, so some of the Scaper Chronicles folks didn’t like it. Others pointed to biblical references; from John (and later Chiana) apparently being possessed or un-possessed while in “the crucifix” position, and our human even dubbing himself as a saint for the unexplained nature of his condition, and the large amount of blood that apparently came out of him before DRD Pike cleaned it up. One commentator continued onto to the symbolism of John’s reflection in a pool of blood, as a reminder that he has an exact genetic match out there on Talyn. Does MJ bleed when TJ bleeds, or vice versa; we never got a straight answer about that. (Though for a little while, the way we could tell them apart was due to a scar on TJ’s forehead.) I’m a little wary of the explanation and besides, TJ didn’t sustain any noticeable blood injuries in the last episode. Hopefully the fans are sticking with the explanation that both Johns are equal and original, but I think it’s perfectly in character for MJ to question whether or not this bloodwork means that he’s the copy. But for more on the topic of the blood and bible in this episode, one commentator suggested Jacob Clifton’s Television Without Pity review. Unfortunately, I can’t find it online! Oy.
Here’s another aspect of what I like about splitting all of our characters up; it allows us to look at clique dynamics, of a sort. On Moya, we have D’argo and Chiana, who actually seem to be finding some sort of equilibrium post-breakup, Jool as the new girl who’s still generally the most disliked, poor Pilot who can never catch a break from shit happening to both Moya and himself, and John with his wormhole obsession. The wormhole obsession might actually be drawing the rest of the crew closer together, so that even though they still have their skirmishes, Jool and Chiana treat our human with collective sarcasm. D’argo provides some dry, comic relief with his exasperation about what goes on around him regularly. He’s also sort of benignly paternalistic to “the girls” and Chiana, of course, is flirtatious in return; “problem of the day” issues aside, I really just like the dynamics in that scene where they are sitting down together. :P Speaking of Chiana, she and John might not “get it on,” at least in any sort of traditional way, but the energy rider catches onto the idea that she’s attracted to him. I think that has to do with the fact that Chiana doesn’t have much experience with expressing relationships in a non-sexual way. And so they get that sexual moment, which sheesh, what is that? Comic relief mixed with general “Farscape” weirdness? Fan service for the unusual shippers such as myself? The excuse for more Crichtonisms? Hee. Not to mention that they also dropped other backstory hints that will become more sexcapades in the future! …or the past. :P /zips lips
This episode has one of those titles that deals with the big time continuum theme in “Farscape.” The crew, particularly John, loses some time during the whole energy rider incident. Chiana seems to have some sped up time when she predicts D’argo’s entrance into the mess hall when he is supposed to be someplace else. With Scorpius in the b-storyline, perhaps it’s more accurate to say that he’s running out of time. I’ll get to that a little later. But first, here are some other character notes on the Moya crew. When D’argo is, yet again, recounting the whole “Jothee slept with Chiana” bit (at least this time it is in service of trying to prove his identity) he pauses before the word “fiancée.” I like the ScapeCast analysis that he’s finally starting to realize that they weren’t actually engaged; it’s more a reflection of where he was at the time, rather than the reality. Doesn’t mean much to the plot of the hour, but it’s a nice moment of character progression. Jool gets one, too, though it’s more pronounced. She comes clean about going on some excavation to a gem mine and getting caught by the guards who sold her to Grunschlk while her cousins waited for her elsewhere where they got sick. A bit of a guilty past there, young lady! Speaking of guilt…does anyone on the crew feel bad about DRD Pike’s imminent demise in the starburst room? (Or maybe he survives? Seems unlikely.) He’s basically the first DRD on the show who has a bit of a quirky personality; as the ScapeCast said, he feels like a real character. You know who else feels like the real character that she is…Moya. Moya uses DRD Pike to communicate since Pilot is out of commission, and damn, she’s pretty brutal. She wants to betray Chiana’s energy rider even when the crew is uncertain as to whether or not Tallip is on the level. I guess poor Moya is just sick of having to deal with this shit. :P
Speaking of people having to deal with shit…in the b-storyline, Scorpy is alive and kicking, but the wormhole information is not forthcoming. We start the episode with one of his dreams, him and John in this stylized shot on Moya, careening down hallways until they find this black box (the Scaper Chronicles liken it to a device in “2001: A Space Odyssey.” I really should watch that some day…/bad SFF fan). Inside there seems to be a wormhole…but no matter whether Scorps knocks John out or John knocks his tormentor into the wormhole, all that happens is that the real Scorpius wakes up in his quarters. His research team is stationed outside of a wormhole, but they’re not too close to making significant progress on weaponizing it, and the chip has reached the end of its usefulness. It seems like Scorpius is taking drugs in order to talk to the John connected to the chip (because really, show, what we need are more Johns :P) and this is basically freaking Braca out. The ScapeCast also raised the question of John bleeding because of his connection to Scorpy (or perhaps they’re even sharing the same dream) but that starts to explode my head a little bit. Remember, there are now two Johns, but are we saying that only MJ is connected to Scorps? That seems a bit out there, considering that no one is a clone here. Beyond all of this, one of Scorpy’s subordinates, Drillic, is arrogantly pushing to send test pilots into the wormhole even though his boss wants to move more slowly. When it turns out that the first Sebacean pilot turns into goo, an angry Scorpius orders Drillic to go next. (We also see two bluish white aliens on the team who will continue to have roles on “Farscape,” but I’ll get to it when I get to it. Except to say that Danny Adcock, who plays Strappa, was once T’raltixx and Johanna Kerrigan, who plays Linfer, was once the bounty hunter, Rorg, from the end of season two.) Anywho, this is where Scorpius reminds me of President Snow from The Hunger Games series. These two leaders are not above killing, but they take lives for specific purposes, and loathe when lives, like that of the first pilot, are wasted. They often check this sort of brash arrogance on the part of subordinates with elaborate executions as well.
This isn’t the only way that Scorpy’s predicament reminds me of the Hunger Games. He explains the Scarrans to Braca as an enormous force, dwarfing the Peacekeeper army 10 to 1, and hellbent on the complete destruction of Sebacean civilization. Pretty harrowing stuff, and certainly of use to a “justifiable” war, the same way that the genocide of the Hunger Games justifies the Districts to fight against the Capitol. And like District 13 is using the legacy of “the Mockingjay” to unite the others and freak out the Capitol, Peacekeepers are currently promoting that they have a scary, universe-changing wormhole weapon at their disposal. It’s keeping the Scarrans at bay for the present…but how long will it take before someone calls their bluff? But more than that…should any one person be able to wield that much power? One of the big themes of The Hunger Games is how easily war can get away from you, and destroy everything that you love, even if you come up on top. This would seem to be even more true in the “Farscape” universe, if the weapon in question might have the ability to eat up entire planets. …yeah, this wormhole thing goes far deeper than Scorpy vs John, and we will see it play out throughout the rest of the series. But on an ending note—and thanks once again to the Scaper Chronicles for putting this in my head—going back to John vs Scorpy, is John really the one we should be rooting for to figure out wormholes? Scorpius at least is methodical in his dealings, whereas John is more a form of chaos. He may not mean to, but he has left a trail of destruction in his wake. It’s very possible that he might get too sloppy or overexcited in his research, and then bring major repercussions onto everyone else. Hell, that’s kind of what happened with regards to the energy riders in this episode! Mind you, once again, I don’t think that any one person should control a wormhole weapon. But the dichotomy between Scorpy’s and John’s means and ambitions isn’t as black and white as they may first appear.
Favorite Crichtonism: I'm either St. John of the Uncharted Territories or there's something very, very wrong with me!
Favorite Quotes:
*John’s days-old wormhole obsession has the impact of bringing Jool and Chiana closer together :O*
John: Pilot can we keep going?
Pilot: We can do anything if the others want to. But-
Chiana: Well then can we turn around? I am sick of running to the ends of the fekik just because he's got a ballion up his butt!
John: I have explained this to you!
D’argo: You have explained it to all of us!
Jool: Over and over and over.
John: The deep space variances we encountered indicate that we could-
D’argo: We could be somewhere near a wormhole.
Jool: The variances could also indicate a trillion other possibilities, none of which have anything to do with --wormholes.
John: Guys - I know - that you have been patient-
Chiana: No. No more. No more, I have had it up to Parsac's Bow with patience.
John: Pip no! Chia-! Come on Chiana! Don't! Don't- don't-don't-!
Chiana: Pilot! Get us out of here!
John: DOOON'T! Look! L-look- remember the ship in the wormhole? I saw the Three Stooges! THE BROADCAST!
Jool: I'm with Miss Monochrome. Let's just get the frell out of here.
*Chiana doesn’t quite believe John’s tales of biblical proportions of blood*
Chiana: Crichton! Hey what's the matter?
John: Chi! you okay?
Chiana: Yeah, yeah I'm fine.
John: You all right?
Chiana: Yeahyeahyeah. You look terrible - what's the matter?
John: I can - the light that came into Moya - went THROUGH me - an'an'an' it just like-! I-I bled. For- cr- Boom! Boom! I bled!
Chiana: Okay.
John: Am I cut?
Chiana: Let me see.
John: Am I cut?
Chiana: No there's nothing there.
John: You sure?
Chiana: Oh, yeah! *swats him playfully, to his annoyance* Are you sure you bled?
John: Yes I bled! You don't make som-! Like a- it was like a lake of blood! It was biblical!
Chiana: Crichton you've barely eaten or slept in 10 solar days - maybe you imagined it.
John: Nobody imagines things like this!
*John’s first encounter with DRD Pike*
John: Hold still. Hold still - and quit your whinin'. You know you got my blood in here. Can't have vaporized it all.
*Pilot brings up an unsettling theory*
Pilot: Crichton I told you - all scans indicate the cluster was harmless.
John: It was not harmless! Run the scan again! Look- look- maybe I imagined the light thing - but I bled! And I have the blood to prove it! *shows bloody arm* And I'm not cut anywhere!
Pilot: There could be another explanation for what's happening. When - Kaarvok - duplicated you on the diseased Leviathan - perhaps he...
John: You think maybe Kaarvok did something to me? That-that my body is breaking down?
Pilot: I'm sorry but it is possible.
*first hint about Talipp’s presence…*
Jool: What is going ON? My chamber is boiling hot - this place is leaking-!
Chiana: Well Pilot says he's having some troubles - with the internals. He says he's working on it.
*the crew sits down to watch John, with surprising consequences*
D’argo: We- what would you like us to do?
John: I want all of you to watch me in case I have another episode - a bleed - whatever you want to call it.
Chiana: I'm sorry - as much fun as that sounds, I don't think so.
John: PIP! STOP! Okay? Y'know- Look - I thought that I was the real me -- and that that other guy - the-the guy on Talyn - that he's the clone. But I'm starting to think maybe I'm the photocopy.
Chiana: Crichton this has nothing to do with the split! Just sleep. You'll be fine.
John: NO! I'm not imagining this! Watch me - please.
D’argo: All right John - sit down, and- Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! *intercepts the ladies* Girls- We will all sit down - and watch John.
Chiana: What if I have to piss?
D’argo: Well then, we will all urinate together.
Chiana: You promise? *touches his tenkas seductively, but things settle down into boredom from there. Some time later* You havin' fun yet?
Jool: Galaxies of it.
Chiana: Can we go now?
John: No. *Chiana is leaving anyway* NO!
Chiana: Sorry but I'm not gonna sit here- *nearly slips on a newly arrived puddle* There's water everywhere!
*Drillic brashly pushes for pilot deployment in the b plot*
Braca: Sir - the Prowler retained its integrity on the last 6 reentries.
Scorpius: No gravitational distortions?
Braca: No.
Linfer: Nothing. Electronics, biomass indicators, all within acceptable parameters.
Scorpius: And now you want to send a Peacekeeper?
Strappa: He has oscillation ratings.
Drillic: With respect Scorpius, biomass reentry will work. Your indecision is wasting time.
Linfer: Oh - what he means sir- The wormhole is degenerating. And stabilization has been unsuccessful so far.
Strappa: I-if we don't complete our trial soon, it will delay us. To find another wormhole.
Drillic: So can we please get started? You demanded my transfer here so I could master wormholes and create the weapon you desire. You did not transfer me here to wait for your permission as if you were my Mother! It is now time to proceed with biological trials.
Scorpius: *in a friendly tone that almost conceals the threat* Right son. Good. Deploy him.
*the Moya crew tries to figure out losing time*
D’argo: Best I can figure - we were out for about half an arn.
Chiana: How can that be?
D’argo: Well perhaps Moya lost atmospheric pressure and we blacked out and lost time.
Chiana: We were doing alot more - than just losing time.
Jool: I think - but I'm not sure - but I think - I may have lost time earlier. Before I changed into this, I was running a soak and the water was warm. Instantaneously - it was cold.
John: Why didn't you tell us this?
Jool: Well I just thought it was a heating coil malfunction.
John: Anything strange happen to you guys?
D’argo: I live on this ship - something strange always happens.
*introduction to Tallip*
Tallip: Apologies. But you must stay back. For one of you - judgment starts now.
John: Judgment? What the HELL are you talking about?
Tallip: Pilot is gone. I am in him now. Apologies. Tried to taste without your knowing.
Jool: Taste?
Tallip: But you discovered. *Pilot’s body begins to shudder* AAARRRGGGHHH! GET BACK! BACK! DON'T KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THIS BODY - THIS SHIP - YET. ARGH! MUST SLOW DOWN. THIS BODY CANNOT CONTAIN ME!
John: Then get out of it.
Tallip: *recovered* Please - I will not harm your Pilot. I can stay in him a short time to find the diseased Energy Rider. My group probes could not detect who it occupies.
D’argo: What's an Energy Rider?
Tallip: We live in clusters. When you passed through ours, a diseased Rider escaped on your ship.
Jool: Are you saying - there's a diseased alien - in one of us?
Tallip: Yes. I must taste you - alone now - to find it.
*now the crew has to figure out if anyone is possessed and what to do about Tallip*
Jool: Does anyone know what's going on here?
John: I don't know. You feel any different?
Jool: What do you mean - different? Different like I might have a diseased alien in me different? No - I don't feel like that.
D’argo: Actually now that you mention it, I've been feeling a little angry.
John: That's normal for you. *Jool veers off—a sign?* Jool! Wrong way.
Chiana: Why do you believe a word that thing inside Pilot is saying?
John: I don't have to believe it Chiana. But something made me bleed and it made all of us shake like a sheep in Arkansas.
D’argo: Well I think I should just grab my Qualta rifle, stick it in its mouth and say "Hey! Get out of Pilot!"
John: And what if it says no?
*Jool decides to assign blame first*
Jool: I hate to point out the obvious - but if something is inside us - I think it likely - since you had the first symptoms - that you're the infected.
John: Kiss my butt, if I'm Linda Blair why am I telling you guys anything?
Jool: Well it'd be the smart thing to do if later you need to appear innocent.
John: I'm not that smart.
Jool: I thought of that. I still think you're the best candidate.
John: All right opinion noted. Leave me alone.
*general tensions among the crew*
Jool: I think we should all get a transport pod out of here - now.
Chiana: Weren't you listening? We have no control. If that thing in Pilot doesn't want you to leave - you're not leaving.
Jool: Look at the lights! Look at the dripping water! That thing is not controlling everything. Maybe I'll get lucky. *stalks off*
Chiana: Tch. Good luck. *annoyed with both girls, D’argo leaves, too*
John: Unified plan - as always.
*Scorpius punishes brash incompetence swiftly*
Linfer: Auto-retrieval and bio-fluctuations appear normal.
Scorpius: Then why is your pilot not responding to our comms?
Drillic: I suspect um - antenna burn out. Vessel integrity is definitely intact.
Braca: Well, open it. *cockpit is opened; all that’s left of the pilot is red goo oozing out*
Scorpius: Your Pilot's integrity is, ah -- well -it is definitely not intact.
Drillic: There must be a malfunction in the negative shield deployment. This will never happen again.
Scorpius: Oh it'll happen once more. Instructor Drillic will pilot the next trial. Wash out the Prowler -- for immediate deployment.
Drillic: Scorpius I'm not flying the next trial!
Scorpius: I'm afraid that uh - Braca will insist.
Strappa: Drillic is - Project Leader! He-
Scorpius: And what is your name?
Strappa: Strappa, Co-Kura Strappa.
Scorpius: Strappa. Well Strappa - you are now Project Leader. And perhaps - now that you know what to expect - you can discover exactly what went wrong here.
*Pilot confirms that one of the crew is possessed, and Tallip gives a little more 411*
Pilot: D'Argo! Crichton! He's - not lying! There is a creature - in one of you! Please! Get it out! GET IT OUT!
Tallip: Please. Help me find the Rider. The longer it remains in one of you, the more damage it will do.
John: Why don't you jump into us, like you did Pilot - find it yourself?
Tallip: The Rider is a child, it can possess you. If I did - my power would destroy you.
John: And what did it do? Why do you want it so bad?
Tallip: This Rider stays too long and diseases minds. Gives only desire - and despair.
*the boys recount their sexual histories :P*
D’argo: Lo'laan was my wife - Uh - Jothee was my son. He slept with Chiana who was my - fiancée.
John: My dads name was Jack. My dogs name was Hubble. I lost my virginity to Karen Shaw in the back of a 4 by.
D’argo: Ah! How old were you?
John: 16.
D’argo: I was 7.
*Chiana could be possessed—or just her catty self—and a nice remembrance of past “Farscape” history*
John: Chiana - What's your brother’s name?
Chiana: You know what my brother’s name was.
D’argo: Just answer the question.
Jool: You were right. Couldn't even open a transport pod to see if- What's going on?
Chiana: Boys are playing detective. What? That thing in Pilot tell you to do this?
D’argo: You don't know the answer do you?
Chiana: Nerri.
D’argo: Okay. Good. Good with the Nerri. Now, question 2 - Did you, or did you not - kill Sakis?
Chiana: His name was Salis. And you don't even know if I killed him.
*Jool’s coming clean on backstory leads to her being the main suspect*
John: That creature in Pilot says whichever of us is infected won't know personal details.
Jool: None of you know anything personal about me. I could make everything up! I could lie!
D’argo: Well we know how you got frozen in the stasis chamber. Tell us - and the truth!
Jool: I ah... I - discovered a Noatian gem mine. The guards caught me. They sold me to Grunschlk. End of pathetic story!
John: And what about your cousins? How'd they get frozen?
Jool: They waited in the village for me. They got sick, and-
D’argo: That is not what you told us before!
Jool: I was lying before!
Chiana: I'm sorry Princess. I think you just elected yourself most likely.
Tallip: Have you found the infected?
Chiana: Yup. Take Jool.
John: Shut up Chi. No - we haven't found that thing yet.
Tallip: Apologies. Must begin now. Do you suspect this - female?
Jool: NO THEY DON'T!
D’argo: Nonono - we need more time.
Tallip: I'll try not to take - long.
D’argo: John! We cannot let them take Jool!
John: I know! I- Loo- HEY! Just - DON'T - take anybody yet - we don't-
Tallip: I'll try not to hurt - much. *Jool is slammed against the wall and shaken up violently. Oy*
*John introduces the Star Trek method of communication to DRD Pike*
John: We're gonna have a little chat. Moya must know that there is something seriously wrong with Pilot. We gotta get that thing out of him. Does she have any idea how we can do that? *DRD Pike squeaks* You understand any of this?
Chiana: No.
John: All right - we don't understand the R2D2 crap. We're gonna use the Star Trek system. One blink for yes, two blinks for no. You understand? *DRD Pike blinks once* Good. Will you help? *DRD Pike blinks once*
*…and everyone is introduced to a new part of Moya!*
Chiana: Where are we?
John: Below the neural cluster. I heard Pilot once say there's a - chamber down here where he has no sense receptors, kind of like the human brain.
Chiana: Pilot can't feel anything. Can't find us down here.
John: Starburst chamber. This must be where the energy of starburst first coalesces.
*the rider in Chiana explains things from it’s point of view, and then stuff gets freaky from there*
Rider: You - saw... Saaaawww -- Saw mai. Had to - show-ow. Gla-glad to - shooowWW. Mmm - So good. Feels - goo-OOD!
John: Chi what the hell are you doin'?
Rider: TaaAssste - taste! *jumps onto John, pushing him down* Love TO try this bod-aaii.
John: Okay whatever you are, you can get the hell off me.
Rider: This bodaaaiii - wants YOooUuu... Fear - No fear of mai. Tallip - he lies! LIES!
John: Tallip's that thing in Pilot.
Rider: Heard him say I hurt this bodai - Not true - Looovvve this tight bodaaaiii!
John: *scrambles to feet* Whoa-ho yeah - we all love this body -- Okay you aaahhh - sit! We'll sip later. I'll call you - you're in the book, right?
Rider: Tallip wants to kill mai. That's why I hide -- I hide when your ship pass. Mistake! Only 4 here - only 4! Not take long to find mai. N-not lo-ong.
John: Tallip?
Rider: Tallip likes pai-ain. After mai - he kill - you.
John: Tallip said that if you stay in Chiana you're goona kill her.
Rider: Tallip - liiieees. I not lie. *touches his chest, and some sort of orgasmic bliss energy goes into John*
John: OOF! O-o-o-o-o-h! Oh! Good gawd! Oh-h-h-h - what'd you just do to me?
Rider: Sip - Sip. Inspiiirrre. Tallip is pai-ain. Not - mai.
John: HOO-WAH! Okay - that-that-that's goooood. But it doesn't prove anything.
Rider: Won't hurt your friend. Just - must hide. Get mai 'wai? To where there are manai. Tallip not find - if there are manai. Plaise?
John: Fine I'll uh - I'll talk to my friends. You-you're gonna - you're gonna stay here. You're-you're safe here.
Rider: How I know? Trust you?
John: You don't. But I'm a guy, I'll probably be back in 15 minutes. *staggers out* HUH! Ho - oh that's not natural. GOOD god!
*Scorpius explains to Braca why PK High Command allows them so much free reign*
Scorpius: Would it surprise you to learn, that the Scarrans - are planning a massive assault against us. But they haven't, becaaauuuse…Because they fear our hidden wormhole weapons.
Braca: We have no hidden weapons.
Scorpius: We lied. And I think the Scarrans are beginning to suspect that. High Command reports - they've been massing armies. By latest estimates, Scarran warriors outnumber Peacekeeper soldiers 10:1. But if and when they attack - we will lose, Braca.
Braca: Unless we harness a superior weapon.
Scorpius: Yes. Wormhole technology without it - the Sebacean race will be overrun. Thousands of cycles of history - gone. There's so little time. Sometimes I feel - it is already inevitable.
*John’s talk with Moya via DRD Pike*
John: All right we gotta talk. You let me in the starburst chamber to find that thing in Chiana didn't you? *one blink* Yes. Does Moya want me to reveal it to Tallip? *one blink* And what if Tallip - is lying? *goes back to the R2-D2 method* Whoawhoa - hey! Whoawhoa! Calm do- *grabs DRD Pike* - Calm down! I know you're freakin' out about Pilot, but if that thing in Chiana's not diseased - Does Moya still want me to betray it? *one blink* Okay.
*despite what Moya wants, the boys attempt a plan against Tallip*
Tallip: I sense your anger. I did warn you, tasting would be - painful.
D’argo: We've hidden the Rider. And you will never find it.
John: So let's make a deal. You turn the ship around, head back to your cluster, we'll tell you where the Rider is, and you two can play 'Pick The Friendly Alien' in your neighborhood.
Tallip: How do I know one of you is not infected? That this is not the Riders plan?
D’argo: It's not - believe me. This plan is so bad - it has to be ours.
*Chiana’s rider doesn’t appear to be quite on the level, either*
Rider: No more taaaaaaalk!
John: *gasping as the rider has him by the throat* Lemme go.
Rider: Tinaaaiii braaaiiins! No more taaaaaaaalk!
John: Let - me - go! Please! Pretty please... please let go.. *rider drops him and Jool*. Ho-kay. So everything Tallip said about you is true.
Rider: Yay-essss -- Desiiiiirrrre... Theeyy staaaaayyyyy...
*Tallip turns into the evil villain*
Tallip: Never knew it could be like this. So good! The Rider was right - it is perfect to stay too long. Perfect.
John: Moya will never accept you.
Tallip: Moya will do what I command! Now go! Take the Luxan with you - Aahh... Soo - I can - enjoy this.
*John directs an exhausted Chiana on what to do in the starburst room*
John: All right. D'Argo and Jool are gonna spook the thing. I'm gonna press an override panel in Pilot's Den. I'm gonna comm you. You join these two circuits together. DRD Pike's gonna do the same thing over there. You remember what happened here last time, don't you? I'm not talkin' about the sex thing. That was great, but I'm not talkin' about it.
Chiana: Starburst blast.
John: Right. Well, this one's gonna be a gazillion times stronger Chiana, so you got 10 microts to get your ass outta here.
Chiana: Plenty of time.
John: Chiana? Do you understand what you have to do?
Chiana: Yeah. Easy. You comm.
John: Yes.
Chiana: I join.
John: Yes.
Chiana: Leave.
John: Very good.
Chiana: Plenty of time.
John: *leaving* DRD Pike! Keep an eye on her!
*John creates a distraction while the others put their plan in place*
Tallip: What are you doing here?
John: Aw relax, Casper. I'm not here to interrupt your blissing. Too much makes you go blind though, y'know.
Tallip: What do you want - human?
John: I want you to take us to the shipping lanes. Then we can all get off this boat, and you can continue what you're doing uninterrupted. Okay?
*tensions in the execution, of course, but Tallip leaves Pilot so that Moya can kill him with a starburst blast*
Tallip: Stay back!
John: I'm stayin' back. I'm stayin' waaay back. And watching you die.
Tallip: If I die - you'll all die! I'll vent every chamber on this ship!
John: Whoa! There's no reason to be vin-dic-tive! We can figure something else out -- Moya! Moya's a living ship!
Tallip: Yes.
John: Well if she's alive - theeeeennnn...
Tallip: It will have neural capacity! More than enough to hold me till we could get back to my cluster!
John: There ya go.
Tallip: Yes! I will go into Moya! *leaves Pilot*
John: NOW CHIANA! *DRD Pike headbutting an exhausted Chiana* CHIANA NOW!
CHIANA! IT'S LEAVING PILOT. DO IT! CHIANA! IF IT GET'S INTO MOYA, WE'RE SCREWED!
Chiana: What?! All right I'm up!
John: HEY PIP! GET ON IT!
Chiana: I'm up. Okay - h-here we go. Here we go. *joins cables* I done it.
John: Great Chi! Now get out of the starburst chamber! *starburst building; Chiana escapes but DRD Pike does not* Now Moya! *energy builds, climbing chambers and zapping Tallip dead*
*the bleeding issue remains largely unresolved*
John: Hey, Doc - how come I bled and you guys didn't?
Jool: Well, that's obvious. You bled because you are an irritating and inferior species. Good night.
*Chiana has strange new prescience…*
John: D'Argo - you still down in the cluster?
Chiana: No - he's not down there. He's here.
John: No - he's down in the cluster. *D’argo walks in* How did you know that?
D’argo: What? How did she know what?
John: No - don't - don't tell me. I don't really wanna kn- I just wanna sle- I'm gonna get some sleep.
*Scorpy’s recurring nightmare*
Scorpius: Everything! I found it! I fou- *as he stares at the wormhole box, John twists out of his grasp*
John: You found nothing Scorpy! You missed it! *shoves Scorpy into the box* You missed the whole thing! GAME OVER!
___
I waited on pins and needles, convinced that at long last this couple might get a little action. By this time the Johns were split, and one went to Talyn and the other stayed on Moya, yadda yadda, and it became apparent that this could turn into one of those convenient scenarios—with Aeryn gone, Moya John, or MJ, might require a little distraction. :P Looking back on it, I’m rather relieved that he grew distracted by wormholes, vs what could have been a disastrous affair with Chiana (and hell, she was just coming off one of those. :P) There’s still a spark that exists between John and Chiana (and they’re rather similar characters, as I’ve been exploring recently) but for the most part it’s not realized sexually, and I’ll just leave it at that up here, hee.
Otherwise, the A plot is largely your standard “ship in trouble from hostile aliens” scheme, which some of the Scaper Chronicles podcasters found a bit redundant.. There are some intriguing reveals in it, however, and a more lasting consequence at the end. But really, it’s the B storyline, off of Moya and with our main antagonist, that is laying down some roots. I’ve always found it to be interesting stuff, but with “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” in theatres this week, this is almost uncanny timing to write a recap. “Farscape”’s b-storyline deals with justifying war based on genocidal treatment, hidden weapons and controlling the narrative around them, and the price of too much power, to name some things; all themes that have been swirling around my mind with regards to the Hunger Games franchise. I’m so grateful that this (and the wonderful Scaper Chronicles podcast) encouraged me to look at “Farscape” in a deeper way.
Episode summary is here, courtesy of the John and Aeryn Fansite.
So, general A-line plot: after days of allowing John to go wormhole hunting, the others try and turn the ship around, but not before they’re boarded by a couple of “energy riders,” light blue, translucent flying figures that take over bodies and control the hosts. The first one goes to John, knocking him out and making him bleed, though the others think he’s just exhausted and nuts. Still, we stick with John, who seems to be “losing time” while sitting down, and suddenly he’s bleeding again and water is dripping everywhere. What’s with that water, huh? Apparently there are temperature regulation problems on Moya, and Jool even slips into a midriff-baring goth steampunk outfit that stays with her for much of the rest of the series. :P The group does an experiment with DRD Pike recording them; looks like they get knocked out and possessed for half an arn without realizing it! So they go to Pilot, and wuddaya know, Pilot’s been taken over by another energy rider, whom we later learn is called Tallip. (Kudos to Lani and Gigi for their weird, alien voices, btw.) Tallip is looking for the first energy rider, whom he calls a child and a fugitive, and claims that this one doesn’t have the wherewithal to ultimately not do serious damage to the host. The crew gets to discover which of them is the host, given that that person should forget details about his or her personal life. First they think it’s Jool, but then John finds out in Moya’s cool new starburst room that it’s actually Chiana. Possessed Chiana tells John that the other rider is into power and will kill all of them, and then they share, well a version of that sexual moment I was looking for. :p Ultimately, Tallip does exorcise and kill the other rider, but he also doesn’t want to give up control of Pilot. So the crew flushes him out with the help of Moya, DRD Pike and the starburst room, and then things mostly go back to normal, it seems, except for Chiana’s strange, new prescience. Just a small moment of that this episode; nothing too explanatory.
One of the big, overarching themes about this series of episodes is how splitting John into two people is perhaps the most comprehensive character study we can ever get out of anyone. Talyn John has his star chars, Winona, and Aeryn, whom he refers to as his constant. If Aeryn is TJ’s constant, then she’s also MJ’s constant. But Aeryn isn’t with MJ so he has to focus his attention elsewhere…mainly, towards wormholes. The idea of home is perhaps a lesser constant for him, or at least an ideal worth striving for. John is largely exhausted and petulant in the beginning of the hour; he hasn’t slept for days and he refuses to steer from course, even when the rest of his crew wants to do something else. Then, specific to this episode, there is the issue of John’s unexplained blood wounds. It didn’t add anything directly to the story (except, perhaps, for a state of panic or at least unease,) and it is never concretely explained away, so some of the Scaper Chronicles folks didn’t like it. Others pointed to biblical references; from John (and later Chiana) apparently being possessed or un-possessed while in “the crucifix” position, and our human even dubbing himself as a saint for the unexplained nature of his condition, and the large amount of blood that apparently came out of him before DRD Pike cleaned it up. One commentator continued onto to the symbolism of John’s reflection in a pool of blood, as a reminder that he has an exact genetic match out there on Talyn. Does MJ bleed when TJ bleeds, or vice versa; we never got a straight answer about that. (Though for a little while, the way we could tell them apart was due to a scar on TJ’s forehead.) I’m a little wary of the explanation and besides, TJ didn’t sustain any noticeable blood injuries in the last episode. Hopefully the fans are sticking with the explanation that both Johns are equal and original, but I think it’s perfectly in character for MJ to question whether or not this bloodwork means that he’s the copy. But for more on the topic of the blood and bible in this episode, one commentator suggested Jacob Clifton’s Television Without Pity review. Unfortunately, I can’t find it online! Oy.
Here’s another aspect of what I like about splitting all of our characters up; it allows us to look at clique dynamics, of a sort. On Moya, we have D’argo and Chiana, who actually seem to be finding some sort of equilibrium post-breakup, Jool as the new girl who’s still generally the most disliked, poor Pilot who can never catch a break from shit happening to both Moya and himself, and John with his wormhole obsession. The wormhole obsession might actually be drawing the rest of the crew closer together, so that even though they still have their skirmishes, Jool and Chiana treat our human with collective sarcasm. D’argo provides some dry, comic relief with his exasperation about what goes on around him regularly. He’s also sort of benignly paternalistic to “the girls” and Chiana, of course, is flirtatious in return; “problem of the day” issues aside, I really just like the dynamics in that scene where they are sitting down together. :P Speaking of Chiana, she and John might not “get it on,” at least in any sort of traditional way, but the energy rider catches onto the idea that she’s attracted to him. I think that has to do with the fact that Chiana doesn’t have much experience with expressing relationships in a non-sexual way. And so they get that sexual moment, which sheesh, what is that? Comic relief mixed with general “Farscape” weirdness? Fan service for the unusual shippers such as myself? The excuse for more Crichtonisms? Hee. Not to mention that they also dropped other backstory hints that will become more sexcapades in the future! …or the past. :P /zips lips
This episode has one of those titles that deals with the big time continuum theme in “Farscape.” The crew, particularly John, loses some time during the whole energy rider incident. Chiana seems to have some sped up time when she predicts D’argo’s entrance into the mess hall when he is supposed to be someplace else. With Scorpius in the b-storyline, perhaps it’s more accurate to say that he’s running out of time. I’ll get to that a little later. But first, here are some other character notes on the Moya crew. When D’argo is, yet again, recounting the whole “Jothee slept with Chiana” bit (at least this time it is in service of trying to prove his identity) he pauses before the word “fiancée.” I like the ScapeCast analysis that he’s finally starting to realize that they weren’t actually engaged; it’s more a reflection of where he was at the time, rather than the reality. Doesn’t mean much to the plot of the hour, but it’s a nice moment of character progression. Jool gets one, too, though it’s more pronounced. She comes clean about going on some excavation to a gem mine and getting caught by the guards who sold her to Grunschlk while her cousins waited for her elsewhere where they got sick. A bit of a guilty past there, young lady! Speaking of guilt…does anyone on the crew feel bad about DRD Pike’s imminent demise in the starburst room? (Or maybe he survives? Seems unlikely.) He’s basically the first DRD on the show who has a bit of a quirky personality; as the ScapeCast said, he feels like a real character. You know who else feels like the real character that she is…Moya. Moya uses DRD Pike to communicate since Pilot is out of commission, and damn, she’s pretty brutal. She wants to betray Chiana’s energy rider even when the crew is uncertain as to whether or not Tallip is on the level. I guess poor Moya is just sick of having to deal with this shit. :P
Speaking of people having to deal with shit…in the b-storyline, Scorpy is alive and kicking, but the wormhole information is not forthcoming. We start the episode with one of his dreams, him and John in this stylized shot on Moya, careening down hallways until they find this black box (the Scaper Chronicles liken it to a device in “2001: A Space Odyssey.” I really should watch that some day…/bad SFF fan). Inside there seems to be a wormhole…but no matter whether Scorps knocks John out or John knocks his tormentor into the wormhole, all that happens is that the real Scorpius wakes up in his quarters. His research team is stationed outside of a wormhole, but they’re not too close to making significant progress on weaponizing it, and the chip has reached the end of its usefulness. It seems like Scorpius is taking drugs in order to talk to the John connected to the chip (because really, show, what we need are more Johns :P) and this is basically freaking Braca out. The ScapeCast also raised the question of John bleeding because of his connection to Scorpy (or perhaps they’re even sharing the same dream) but that starts to explode my head a little bit. Remember, there are now two Johns, but are we saying that only MJ is connected to Scorps? That seems a bit out there, considering that no one is a clone here. Beyond all of this, one of Scorpy’s subordinates, Drillic, is arrogantly pushing to send test pilots into the wormhole even though his boss wants to move more slowly. When it turns out that the first Sebacean pilot turns into goo, an angry Scorpius orders Drillic to go next. (We also see two bluish white aliens on the team who will continue to have roles on “Farscape,” but I’ll get to it when I get to it. Except to say that Danny Adcock, who plays Strappa, was once T’raltixx and Johanna Kerrigan, who plays Linfer, was once the bounty hunter, Rorg, from the end of season two.) Anywho, this is where Scorpius reminds me of President Snow from The Hunger Games series. These two leaders are not above killing, but they take lives for specific purposes, and loathe when lives, like that of the first pilot, are wasted. They often check this sort of brash arrogance on the part of subordinates with elaborate executions as well.
This isn’t the only way that Scorpy’s predicament reminds me of the Hunger Games. He explains the Scarrans to Braca as an enormous force, dwarfing the Peacekeeper army 10 to 1, and hellbent on the complete destruction of Sebacean civilization. Pretty harrowing stuff, and certainly of use to a “justifiable” war, the same way that the genocide of the Hunger Games justifies the Districts to fight against the Capitol. And like District 13 is using the legacy of “the Mockingjay” to unite the others and freak out the Capitol, Peacekeepers are currently promoting that they have a scary, universe-changing wormhole weapon at their disposal. It’s keeping the Scarrans at bay for the present…but how long will it take before someone calls their bluff? But more than that…should any one person be able to wield that much power? One of the big themes of The Hunger Games is how easily war can get away from you, and destroy everything that you love, even if you come up on top. This would seem to be even more true in the “Farscape” universe, if the weapon in question might have the ability to eat up entire planets. …yeah, this wormhole thing goes far deeper than Scorpy vs John, and we will see it play out throughout the rest of the series. But on an ending note—and thanks once again to the Scaper Chronicles for putting this in my head—going back to John vs Scorpy, is John really the one we should be rooting for to figure out wormholes? Scorpius at least is methodical in his dealings, whereas John is more a form of chaos. He may not mean to, but he has left a trail of destruction in his wake. It’s very possible that he might get too sloppy or overexcited in his research, and then bring major repercussions onto everyone else. Hell, that’s kind of what happened with regards to the energy riders in this episode! Mind you, once again, I don’t think that any one person should control a wormhole weapon. But the dichotomy between Scorpy’s and John’s means and ambitions isn’t as black and white as they may first appear.
Favorite Crichtonism: I'm either St. John of the Uncharted Territories or there's something very, very wrong with me!
Favorite Quotes:
*John’s days-old wormhole obsession has the impact of bringing Jool and Chiana closer together :O*
John: Pilot can we keep going?
Pilot: We can do anything if the others want to. But-
Chiana: Well then can we turn around? I am sick of running to the ends of the fekik just because he's got a ballion up his butt!
John: I have explained this to you!
D’argo: You have explained it to all of us!
Jool: Over and over and over.
John: The deep space variances we encountered indicate that we could-
D’argo: We could be somewhere near a wormhole.
Jool: The variances could also indicate a trillion other possibilities, none of which have anything to do with --wormholes.
John: Guys - I know - that you have been patient-
Chiana: No. No more. No more, I have had it up to Parsac's Bow with patience.
John: Pip no! Chia-! Come on Chiana! Don't! Don't- don't-don't-!
Chiana: Pilot! Get us out of here!
John: DOOON'T! Look! L-look- remember the ship in the wormhole? I saw the Three Stooges! THE BROADCAST!
Jool: I'm with Miss Monochrome. Let's just get the frell out of here.
*Chiana doesn’t quite believe John’s tales of biblical proportions of blood*
Chiana: Crichton! Hey what's the matter?
John: Chi! you okay?
Chiana: Yeah, yeah I'm fine.
John: You all right?
Chiana: Yeahyeahyeah. You look terrible - what's the matter?
John: I can - the light that came into Moya - went THROUGH me - an'an'an' it just like-! I-I bled. For- cr- Boom! Boom! I bled!
Chiana: Okay.
John: Am I cut?
Chiana: Let me see.
John: Am I cut?
Chiana: No there's nothing there.
John: You sure?
Chiana: Oh, yeah! *swats him playfully, to his annoyance* Are you sure you bled?
John: Yes I bled! You don't make som-! Like a- it was like a lake of blood! It was biblical!
Chiana: Crichton you've barely eaten or slept in 10 solar days - maybe you imagined it.
John: Nobody imagines things like this!
*John’s first encounter with DRD Pike*
John: Hold still. Hold still - and quit your whinin'. You know you got my blood in here. Can't have vaporized it all.
*Pilot brings up an unsettling theory*
Pilot: Crichton I told you - all scans indicate the cluster was harmless.
John: It was not harmless! Run the scan again! Look- look- maybe I imagined the light thing - but I bled! And I have the blood to prove it! *shows bloody arm* And I'm not cut anywhere!
Pilot: There could be another explanation for what's happening. When - Kaarvok - duplicated you on the diseased Leviathan - perhaps he...
John: You think maybe Kaarvok did something to me? That-that my body is breaking down?
Pilot: I'm sorry but it is possible.
*first hint about Talipp’s presence…*
Jool: What is going ON? My chamber is boiling hot - this place is leaking-!
Chiana: Well Pilot says he's having some troubles - with the internals. He says he's working on it.
*the crew sits down to watch John, with surprising consequences*
D’argo: We- what would you like us to do?
John: I want all of you to watch me in case I have another episode - a bleed - whatever you want to call it.
Chiana: I'm sorry - as much fun as that sounds, I don't think so.
John: PIP! STOP! Okay? Y'know- Look - I thought that I was the real me -- and that that other guy - the-the guy on Talyn - that he's the clone. But I'm starting to think maybe I'm the photocopy.
Chiana: Crichton this has nothing to do with the split! Just sleep. You'll be fine.
John: NO! I'm not imagining this! Watch me - please.
D’argo: All right John - sit down, and- Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! *intercepts the ladies* Girls- We will all sit down - and watch John.
Chiana: What if I have to piss?
D’argo: Well then, we will all urinate together.
Chiana: You promise? *touches his tenkas seductively, but things settle down into boredom from there. Some time later* You havin' fun yet?
Jool: Galaxies of it.
Chiana: Can we go now?
John: No. *Chiana is leaving anyway* NO!
Chiana: Sorry but I'm not gonna sit here- *nearly slips on a newly arrived puddle* There's water everywhere!
*Drillic brashly pushes for pilot deployment in the b plot*
Braca: Sir - the Prowler retained its integrity on the last 6 reentries.
Scorpius: No gravitational distortions?
Braca: No.
Linfer: Nothing. Electronics, biomass indicators, all within acceptable parameters.
Scorpius: And now you want to send a Peacekeeper?
Strappa: He has oscillation ratings.
Drillic: With respect Scorpius, biomass reentry will work. Your indecision is wasting time.
Linfer: Oh - what he means sir- The wormhole is degenerating. And stabilization has been unsuccessful so far.
Strappa: I-if we don't complete our trial soon, it will delay us. To find another wormhole.
Drillic: So can we please get started? You demanded my transfer here so I could master wormholes and create the weapon you desire. You did not transfer me here to wait for your permission as if you were my Mother! It is now time to proceed with biological trials.
Scorpius: *in a friendly tone that almost conceals the threat* Right son. Good. Deploy him.
*the Moya crew tries to figure out losing time*
D’argo: Best I can figure - we were out for about half an arn.
Chiana: How can that be?
D’argo: Well perhaps Moya lost atmospheric pressure and we blacked out and lost time.
Chiana: We were doing alot more - than just losing time.
Jool: I think - but I'm not sure - but I think - I may have lost time earlier. Before I changed into this, I was running a soak and the water was warm. Instantaneously - it was cold.
John: Why didn't you tell us this?
Jool: Well I just thought it was a heating coil malfunction.
John: Anything strange happen to you guys?
D’argo: I live on this ship - something strange always happens.
*introduction to Tallip*
Tallip: Apologies. But you must stay back. For one of you - judgment starts now.
John: Judgment? What the HELL are you talking about?
Tallip: Pilot is gone. I am in him now. Apologies. Tried to taste without your knowing.
Jool: Taste?
Tallip: But you discovered. *Pilot’s body begins to shudder* AAARRRGGGHHH! GET BACK! BACK! DON'T KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THIS BODY - THIS SHIP - YET. ARGH! MUST SLOW DOWN. THIS BODY CANNOT CONTAIN ME!
John: Then get out of it.
Tallip: *recovered* Please - I will not harm your Pilot. I can stay in him a short time to find the diseased Energy Rider. My group probes could not detect who it occupies.
D’argo: What's an Energy Rider?
Tallip: We live in clusters. When you passed through ours, a diseased Rider escaped on your ship.
Jool: Are you saying - there's a diseased alien - in one of us?
Tallip: Yes. I must taste you - alone now - to find it.
*now the crew has to figure out if anyone is possessed and what to do about Tallip*
Jool: Does anyone know what's going on here?
John: I don't know. You feel any different?
Jool: What do you mean - different? Different like I might have a diseased alien in me different? No - I don't feel like that.
D’argo: Actually now that you mention it, I've been feeling a little angry.
John: That's normal for you. *Jool veers off—a sign?* Jool! Wrong way.
Chiana: Why do you believe a word that thing inside Pilot is saying?
John: I don't have to believe it Chiana. But something made me bleed and it made all of us shake like a sheep in Arkansas.
D’argo: Well I think I should just grab my Qualta rifle, stick it in its mouth and say "Hey! Get out of Pilot!"
John: And what if it says no?
*Jool decides to assign blame first*
Jool: I hate to point out the obvious - but if something is inside us - I think it likely - since you had the first symptoms - that you're the infected.
John: Kiss my butt, if I'm Linda Blair why am I telling you guys anything?
Jool: Well it'd be the smart thing to do if later you need to appear innocent.
John: I'm not that smart.
Jool: I thought of that. I still think you're the best candidate.
John: All right opinion noted. Leave me alone.
*general tensions among the crew*
Jool: I think we should all get a transport pod out of here - now.
Chiana: Weren't you listening? We have no control. If that thing in Pilot doesn't want you to leave - you're not leaving.
Jool: Look at the lights! Look at the dripping water! That thing is not controlling everything. Maybe I'll get lucky. *stalks off*
Chiana: Tch. Good luck. *annoyed with both girls, D’argo leaves, too*
John: Unified plan - as always.
*Scorpius punishes brash incompetence swiftly*
Linfer: Auto-retrieval and bio-fluctuations appear normal.
Scorpius: Then why is your pilot not responding to our comms?
Drillic: I suspect um - antenna burn out. Vessel integrity is definitely intact.
Braca: Well, open it. *cockpit is opened; all that’s left of the pilot is red goo oozing out*
Scorpius: Your Pilot's integrity is, ah -- well -it is definitely not intact.
Drillic: There must be a malfunction in the negative shield deployment. This will never happen again.
Scorpius: Oh it'll happen once more. Instructor Drillic will pilot the next trial. Wash out the Prowler -- for immediate deployment.
Drillic: Scorpius I'm not flying the next trial!
Scorpius: I'm afraid that uh - Braca will insist.
Strappa: Drillic is - Project Leader! He-
Scorpius: And what is your name?
Strappa: Strappa, Co-Kura Strappa.
Scorpius: Strappa. Well Strappa - you are now Project Leader. And perhaps - now that you know what to expect - you can discover exactly what went wrong here.
*Pilot confirms that one of the crew is possessed, and Tallip gives a little more 411*
Pilot: D'Argo! Crichton! He's - not lying! There is a creature - in one of you! Please! Get it out! GET IT OUT!
Tallip: Please. Help me find the Rider. The longer it remains in one of you, the more damage it will do.
John: Why don't you jump into us, like you did Pilot - find it yourself?
Tallip: The Rider is a child, it can possess you. If I did - my power would destroy you.
John: And what did it do? Why do you want it so bad?
Tallip: This Rider stays too long and diseases minds. Gives only desire - and despair.
*the boys recount their sexual histories :P*
D’argo: Lo'laan was my wife - Uh - Jothee was my son. He slept with Chiana who was my - fiancée.
John: My dads name was Jack. My dogs name was Hubble. I lost my virginity to Karen Shaw in the back of a 4 by.
D’argo: Ah! How old were you?
John: 16.
D’argo: I was 7.
*Chiana could be possessed—or just her catty self—and a nice remembrance of past “Farscape” history*
John: Chiana - What's your brother’s name?
Chiana: You know what my brother’s name was.
D’argo: Just answer the question.
Jool: You were right. Couldn't even open a transport pod to see if- What's going on?
Chiana: Boys are playing detective. What? That thing in Pilot tell you to do this?
D’argo: You don't know the answer do you?
Chiana: Nerri.
D’argo: Okay. Good. Good with the Nerri. Now, question 2 - Did you, or did you not - kill Sakis?
Chiana: His name was Salis. And you don't even know if I killed him.
*Jool’s coming clean on backstory leads to her being the main suspect*
John: That creature in Pilot says whichever of us is infected won't know personal details.
Jool: None of you know anything personal about me. I could make everything up! I could lie!
D’argo: Well we know how you got frozen in the stasis chamber. Tell us - and the truth!
Jool: I ah... I - discovered a Noatian gem mine. The guards caught me. They sold me to Grunschlk. End of pathetic story!
John: And what about your cousins? How'd they get frozen?
Jool: They waited in the village for me. They got sick, and-
D’argo: That is not what you told us before!
Jool: I was lying before!
Chiana: I'm sorry Princess. I think you just elected yourself most likely.
Tallip: Have you found the infected?
Chiana: Yup. Take Jool.
John: Shut up Chi. No - we haven't found that thing yet.
Tallip: Apologies. Must begin now. Do you suspect this - female?
Jool: NO THEY DON'T!
D’argo: Nonono - we need more time.
Tallip: I'll try not to take - long.
D’argo: John! We cannot let them take Jool!
John: I know! I- Loo- HEY! Just - DON'T - take anybody yet - we don't-
Tallip: I'll try not to hurt - much. *Jool is slammed against the wall and shaken up violently. Oy*
*John introduces the Star Trek method of communication to DRD Pike*
John: We're gonna have a little chat. Moya must know that there is something seriously wrong with Pilot. We gotta get that thing out of him. Does she have any idea how we can do that? *DRD Pike squeaks* You understand any of this?
Chiana: No.
John: All right - we don't understand the R2D2 crap. We're gonna use the Star Trek system. One blink for yes, two blinks for no. You understand? *DRD Pike blinks once* Good. Will you help? *DRD Pike blinks once*
*…and everyone is introduced to a new part of Moya!*
Chiana: Where are we?
John: Below the neural cluster. I heard Pilot once say there's a - chamber down here where he has no sense receptors, kind of like the human brain.
Chiana: Pilot can't feel anything. Can't find us down here.
John: Starburst chamber. This must be where the energy of starburst first coalesces.
*the rider in Chiana explains things from it’s point of view, and then stuff gets freaky from there*
Rider: You - saw... Saaaawww -- Saw mai. Had to - show-ow. Gla-glad to - shooowWW. Mmm - So good. Feels - goo-OOD!
John: Chi what the hell are you doin'?
Rider: TaaAssste - taste! *jumps onto John, pushing him down* Love TO try this bod-aaii.
John: Okay whatever you are, you can get the hell off me.
Rider: This bodaaaiii - wants YOooUuu... Fear - No fear of mai. Tallip - he lies! LIES!
John: Tallip's that thing in Pilot.
Rider: Heard him say I hurt this bodai - Not true - Looovvve this tight bodaaaiii!
John: *scrambles to feet* Whoa-ho yeah - we all love this body -- Okay you aaahhh - sit! We'll sip later. I'll call you - you're in the book, right?
Rider: Tallip wants to kill mai. That's why I hide -- I hide when your ship pass. Mistake! Only 4 here - only 4! Not take long to find mai. N-not lo-ong.
John: Tallip?
Rider: Tallip likes pai-ain. After mai - he kill - you.
John: Tallip said that if you stay in Chiana you're goona kill her.
Rider: Tallip - liiieees. I not lie. *touches his chest, and some sort of orgasmic bliss energy goes into John*
John: OOF! O-o-o-o-o-h! Oh! Good gawd! Oh-h-h-h - what'd you just do to me?
Rider: Sip - Sip. Inspiiirrre. Tallip is pai-ain. Not - mai.
John: HOO-WAH! Okay - that-that-that's goooood. But it doesn't prove anything.
Rider: Won't hurt your friend. Just - must hide. Get mai 'wai? To where there are manai. Tallip not find - if there are manai. Plaise?
John: Fine I'll uh - I'll talk to my friends. You-you're gonna - you're gonna stay here. You're-you're safe here.
Rider: How I know? Trust you?
John: You don't. But I'm a guy, I'll probably be back in 15 minutes. *staggers out* HUH! Ho - oh that's not natural. GOOD god!
*Scorpius explains to Braca why PK High Command allows them so much free reign*
Scorpius: Would it surprise you to learn, that the Scarrans - are planning a massive assault against us. But they haven't, becaaauuuse…Because they fear our hidden wormhole weapons.
Braca: We have no hidden weapons.
Scorpius: We lied. And I think the Scarrans are beginning to suspect that. High Command reports - they've been massing armies. By latest estimates, Scarran warriors outnumber Peacekeeper soldiers 10:1. But if and when they attack - we will lose, Braca.
Braca: Unless we harness a superior weapon.
Scorpius: Yes. Wormhole technology without it - the Sebacean race will be overrun. Thousands of cycles of history - gone. There's so little time. Sometimes I feel - it is already inevitable.
*John’s talk with Moya via DRD Pike*
John: All right we gotta talk. You let me in the starburst chamber to find that thing in Chiana didn't you? *one blink* Yes. Does Moya want me to reveal it to Tallip? *one blink* And what if Tallip - is lying? *goes back to the R2-D2 method* Whoawhoa - hey! Whoawhoa! Calm do- *grabs DRD Pike* - Calm down! I know you're freakin' out about Pilot, but if that thing in Chiana's not diseased - Does Moya still want me to betray it? *one blink* Okay.
*despite what Moya wants, the boys attempt a plan against Tallip*
Tallip: I sense your anger. I did warn you, tasting would be - painful.
D’argo: We've hidden the Rider. And you will never find it.
John: So let's make a deal. You turn the ship around, head back to your cluster, we'll tell you where the Rider is, and you two can play 'Pick The Friendly Alien' in your neighborhood.
Tallip: How do I know one of you is not infected? That this is not the Riders plan?
D’argo: It's not - believe me. This plan is so bad - it has to be ours.
*Chiana’s rider doesn’t appear to be quite on the level, either*
Rider: No more taaaaaaalk!
John: *gasping as the rider has him by the throat* Lemme go.
Rider: Tinaaaiii braaaiiins! No more taaaaaaaalk!
John: Let - me - go! Please! Pretty please... please let go.. *rider drops him and Jool*. Ho-kay. So everything Tallip said about you is true.
Rider: Yay-essss -- Desiiiiirrrre... Theeyy staaaaayyyyy...
*Tallip turns into the evil villain*
Tallip: Never knew it could be like this. So good! The Rider was right - it is perfect to stay too long. Perfect.
John: Moya will never accept you.
Tallip: Moya will do what I command! Now go! Take the Luxan with you - Aahh... Soo - I can - enjoy this.
*John directs an exhausted Chiana on what to do in the starburst room*
John: All right. D'Argo and Jool are gonna spook the thing. I'm gonna press an override panel in Pilot's Den. I'm gonna comm you. You join these two circuits together. DRD Pike's gonna do the same thing over there. You remember what happened here last time, don't you? I'm not talkin' about the sex thing. That was great, but I'm not talkin' about it.
Chiana: Starburst blast.
John: Right. Well, this one's gonna be a gazillion times stronger Chiana, so you got 10 microts to get your ass outta here.
Chiana: Plenty of time.
John: Chiana? Do you understand what you have to do?
Chiana: Yeah. Easy. You comm.
John: Yes.
Chiana: I join.
John: Yes.
Chiana: Leave.
John: Very good.
Chiana: Plenty of time.
John: *leaving* DRD Pike! Keep an eye on her!
*John creates a distraction while the others put their plan in place*
Tallip: What are you doing here?
John: Aw relax, Casper. I'm not here to interrupt your blissing. Too much makes you go blind though, y'know.
Tallip: What do you want - human?
John: I want you to take us to the shipping lanes. Then we can all get off this boat, and you can continue what you're doing uninterrupted. Okay?
*tensions in the execution, of course, but Tallip leaves Pilot so that Moya can kill him with a starburst blast*
Tallip: Stay back!
John: I'm stayin' back. I'm stayin' waaay back. And watching you die.
Tallip: If I die - you'll all die! I'll vent every chamber on this ship!
John: Whoa! There's no reason to be vin-dic-tive! We can figure something else out -- Moya! Moya's a living ship!
Tallip: Yes.
John: Well if she's alive - theeeeennnn...
Tallip: It will have neural capacity! More than enough to hold me till we could get back to my cluster!
John: There ya go.
Tallip: Yes! I will go into Moya! *leaves Pilot*
John: NOW CHIANA! *DRD Pike headbutting an exhausted Chiana* CHIANA NOW!
CHIANA! IT'S LEAVING PILOT. DO IT! CHIANA! IF IT GET'S INTO MOYA, WE'RE SCREWED!
Chiana: What?! All right I'm up!
John: HEY PIP! GET ON IT!
Chiana: I'm up. Okay - h-here we go. Here we go. *joins cables* I done it.
John: Great Chi! Now get out of the starburst chamber! *starburst building; Chiana escapes but DRD Pike does not* Now Moya! *energy builds, climbing chambers and zapping Tallip dead*
*the bleeding issue remains largely unresolved*
John: Hey, Doc - how come I bled and you guys didn't?
Jool: Well, that's obvious. You bled because you are an irritating and inferior species. Good night.
*Chiana has strange new prescience…*
John: D'Argo - you still down in the cluster?
Chiana: No - he's not down there. He's here.
John: No - he's down in the cluster. *D’argo walks in* How did you know that?
D’argo: What? How did she know what?
John: No - don't - don't tell me. I don't really wanna kn- I just wanna sle- I'm gonna get some sleep.
*Scorpy’s recurring nightmare*
Scorpius: Everything! I found it! I fou- *as he stares at the wormhole box, John twists out of his grasp*
John: You found nothing Scorpy! You missed it! *shoves Scorpy into the box* You missed the whole thing! GAME OVER!
___
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