Air Date: August 3, 2001
Written by Carleton Eastlake
Directed by Ian Watson
Transcript by Xenajules2
Edited and put on-line by Bluey
Episode 3.15 - Infinite Possibilities: Part 2: Icarus Abides
Previously on Farscape: (we hear Stark's voice)
Scene One: from "Infinite Possibilities,part1", Talyn is flying over the planet Dam-Ba-Da.
Scene Two: from "Til TheBlood Runs Clear", Furlow is talking to John: "The ability to create a stable wormhole, travel through space and time, would be...." John: "Profitable." Furlow: "Probably."
Scene Three: from "A Human Reaction", John is fighting with the alien "Jack Crichton". John: "You made me think you were my father!" He slams Jack up against a concrete pillar and part of Jack's "disguise" comes off, revealing his alien physiology underneath.
Scene Four: from "A Human Reaction", John is talking to Jack: "Show me what you really look like."
Scene Five: from "A Human Reaction", A bright light shines on the alien and he is revealed in his natural state. The pictures from this scene continue to be seen as we here...
Scene Six: (vocals) from "Infinite Possibilities, part 1", Jack: "On our travels to the new world. we saw this..."
Scene Seven: from "Infinite Possibilities, part 1", We see John's module flying through a wormhole. Jack: "Your module, being flown through an unstable wormhole, piloted by this creature." We now see a Charrid piloting the module. We see John and Jack, superimposed over each other. John: "Who the hell is that?" Jack: "Are you saying this is duplication?"
The rest of the scenes are all from "Infinite Possibilities, part 1"...
Scene Eight: John and Harvey are riding in bumper cars. Harvey: "Scorpius didn't copy your module!" John: "So who did it?"
Scene Nine: We see Furlow: "So, what'dya think?"
Scene Ten: John is in a bumper car: "Furlow."
Scene Eleven: John is climbing up onto the copied module. Furlow: "Got a nice detailed scan last time you were here."
Scene Twelve: onboard Talyn. Jack:"Put 'em on. Flare's coming." Everyone puts on their goggles. Aeryn: "How'd you know?" Jack: "I can sense them." A massive flare hits Talyn.
Scene Thirteen: A flare hits the planet. Crais is screaming and grabbing at his transponder. Aeryn runs over to help him. Crais: "Talyn is blinded, and so am I." There is a line of Charrids atop the dune. Aeryn: "Here they come!" She starts firing, as does John.
Scene Fourteen: Aeryn is firing and running in through the door of the bunker.
Scene Fifteen: Furlow has her hands chained over her head: "If it isn't my favorite flyboy." John takes off his goggles. Furlow: "Just couldn't stay away from me, huh?"
Scene Sixteen: The Charrid prisoner is lying on the floor: "You fear me." John: "No, you just smell."
Scene Seventeen: Rygel is holding the dripping ractor: "He did tell me that there's a Scarren dreadnaught heading for this planet. It'll arrive within six arns."
Scene Eighteen: Furlow's computer is active. John: "How much data did they get?" Furlow: "Enough to make their own phase stabilizer. But I guarantee the dreadnaught'll get here."
Scene Nineteen: Rygel is shooting Charrids from the permanent gun emplacement. Rygel: "Charrid cowards couldn't hit a pregnant lobboth." A shell hits infront of the turret and Rygel is hit by a piece of metal. He groans and passes out.
Scene Twenty: John: "I know about the stuff you guys put in my head." (shows the AHR Jack with John held by a bright light). Jack: "How?" John: "Guy named Scorpius he discovered the info was there and he put a neural chip in my head (we see Scorpius putting the probe into John's brain) to extract the information."
Scene Twenty-one: Jack holds out his hand and holds John's head in a white light. Harvey tells John: "I will fight you."
Scene Twenty-two: John and Harvey are hanging from one rail of a rollercoaster. John and Harvey fall screaming down a wormhole.
Scene Twenty-three: Both John and Jack collapse onto the floor by the module. Aeryn kneels over John as he chokes and gasps. John opens his eyes and with Scorpius' voice says: "Officer Sun...what lucious lips..." He reaches up and grabs her by the throat. "Amongst other things. Crichton was a very lucky man."
Aeryn, choking: "Where is he?" Harvey: "Gone." He now looks like Scorpius, not John: "Gambled and lost" Aeryn pulls her pulse pistol and puts it to his head, just above his eyes.
And, now on Farscape.....
PROLOGUE
Aeryn, one tear escaping from her eye, is holding a gun to Harvey/John's head.
Harvey/John: "How unfortunate you must lose as well. And Zhaan, gave herself for you, What a waste, wouldn't you say?" Harvey/John suddenly slaps the gun away and hits Aeryn in the face with the heel of his hand, knocking her backwards. He spins away from her and stands up. She gets up as well and trains her second gun on him.
Harvey/John: "Well. That's hardly sporting, is it?" pointing to the second gun. "I should have a weapon as well." Aeryn glances at the pistol he knocked onto the ground. "Then we can settle this, one-on-one." He starts to move towards the other pistol.
Aeryn: "Don't." He continues to move towards it and she hits him, hard. He backs up.
Harvey/John: "It's not easy, is it? Putting a pulse blast in John Crichton."
Aeryn: "You're not John."
Harvey/John: "Not up here, no. But the rest of his body's intact. Be a shame to spoil it with that. I'm much more reasonable than John is. He didn't want to share his mind with me. But I'm more than willing to share his body with you." Harvey/John starts towards Aeryn. As he moves, she shoots.
Just as she fires, Jack hits the gun away, so the blast hits a wall.
Jack: "No!" He holds onto Aeryn's arm.
Aeryn: "Stand clear!"
Jack: "No, don't!" Aeryn is struggling to get her wrist out of his grasp.
Aeryn: "It isn't John."
Jack: "It is John! Look."
Harvey/John: "Thank you, daddy."
Jack: "Look at 'im. The clone is dying. He wants you to shoot him, so John dies too."
Harvey/John is starting to sway on his feet and his eyes are glazing over.
Aeryn: "What?" She tries again to get her arm free from Jack's grip.
Harvey/John: "Officer Sun. Next time...be more decisive. Shoot...quicker." Harvey/John crumples to his knees: "A soldier must not be weak. Weakness means defeat." He tries to say something else and can't. He screams horribly and falls over onto his face.
Aeryn continues to stare coldly down at him, as he starts to get back up. We can see that he is not longer dressed as Scorpius, but as John. He lifts up his face, and it looks extremely dopie, like a fighter who has taken too many punches. He kind of half opens his eyes, and tries to look around. He looks back at Aeryn, his eyes still half open and says: "Hey, baby." As he kneels there, the fog begins to clear. His eyes are open now, his voice firmer.
John: "He's gone. He's finally gone. It's just me."
Aeryn can't take her eyes off him. She slowly comes over and kneels in front of him. She lifts his head up by his chin and he is laughing. They touch noses and she holds his face with her hand. His face goes through so many changes of expression, all happy or amazed. Finally, she lays his head against her shoulder, and just holds him.
Talyn is still orbiting the planet. Onboard...
Stark is comming: "Can anyone hear me? Aeryn, Crichton, Rygel?"
Crais: "Forget the comms. Run a check on all the air-locks and docking bays.
Stark: "What for?
Crais: "Damage. Malfunction. Anything."
Stark: "Why?" He goes over to a console to begin checking.
Crais: "Because....I know this ship and...and something's out of balance." Crais is looking around wildly.
Stark: "You're imagining things, although this is strange."
Crais: "What?"
Stark: "Docking bay two recently performed an atmosphere replenish as if it'd been opened. But we landed the pod in bay one."
Crais: "Talyn! Seal all hatches!"
Before Talyn can comply, a Scarran appears at the door to the bridge. The Scarran unleashes his weapon at them and they both collapse, screaming.
END OF PROLOGUE
ACT ONE
Outside the bunker, the Charrids are massing to attack.
Inside, Aeryn is standing in front of John, holding him very tightly.
John: "I've had Scorpy in my head for so long that I've gotten used to it...and, and not having him...it's like being in pain your whole life, and suddenly it's gone."
Aeryn is grinning at him as his face touches hers. She touches his face with her hand.
Furlow comes in carrying a box: "Jack, I managed to find some e-transmitter coils. They'll need a bit of work."
Jack looks into the box: "This is it? You can't find anything better?"
Furlow: "I had to search half the complex just to find that."
John and Aeryn are in a closely held hug.
Aeryn, from John's shoulder: "Then search the other half, Furlow." She glances back over her shoulder at Furlow.
Furlow gives Aeryn "a look". She walks off.
Jack walks over to where John and Aeryn are standing, holding each other.
Jack: "John? It's time to go to work." He reaches out and lightly touches John on the back of the head. "If you're feeling strong enough."
John leaves Aeryn's arms and starts to follow Jack: "I'm good, but, ah... you'd better unlock that wormhole information, inside my head." Aeryn has come with him and is right beside him.
Jack: "I just did."
John: "You did? Really?"
Jack: "It doesn't happen instantaneously." Aeryn starts nuzzling John's neck. "Your mind couldn't process all those equations at once. Give it a little time."
The is the loud sound of an explosion.
Aeryn: "That's not good."
John: "Man, that one was closer."
Outside the bunker, the Charrids are moving in. There is a smoking hole in the top of Rygel's gun turret and he is lying inside, still unconscious, with a piece of schrapnel sticking out of him.
Onboard Talyn, Crais and Stark on both kneeling on the floor while the Scarran stands over them.
Scarran: "Who are you?"
Crais struggles and finally stands up: "Merely commerce traders seeking repairs for our ship."
Scarran: "This is some sort of Peacekeeper ship." He 'zaps' Crais with his weapon. "Tell no lies."
Crais is back on his knees. The Scarran gets right in his face.
Scarran: "Are you a Peacekeeper?" The Scarran grabs him by the neck and hauls him to his feet. "What is your rank?"
Crais grabs both the Scarrans hands, which are on either side of his throat, with his hands.
Crais: "I am...I am not a Peacekeeper. I have no rank."
Scarran: "How did you get this ship?"
Stark comes over to them: "I will tell you. He stole it."
Scarran: "What?"
Stark: "Uhh...he was a captain, but now he's a renegade. He stole this leviathan mutant from the Peacekeepers and now they want him dead. They want all of us dead."
Scarran: "Who are you?"
Stark: "I'm a banik slave. His slave, and I hate him. He brought me on board this ship to help him fix it. Kill him and make me your slave."
Scarran: "Kill him? Is this the truth?" He turns the "weapon" on Stark.
Stark, cringing back to get away from the Scarran blast: "Yes! Yes, every word!"
The Scarran roars as Stark screams. Finally the blast and the screaming stop. Crais is on his knees. The Scarran still has one hand on his throat. He puts his face down next to Crais.
Scarran: "Make this ship operational, and I'll grant you and easy death."
Crais groans and drops to the floor when the Scarran releases him.
John and Jack are busily working on the device.
John: "You sure this thing's unlocked? I'm not feelin any smarter."
Jack: "Give it some time."
John: "Alright, but somethin better kick in before that dreadnaught gets here."
Jack: "It will. This may require an oscillation damper." He is looking at a part in his hand.
John looks at it, then glances over the table. He picks something up and hands it to Jack: "Here you go. Use that."
Jack looks at what John handed him: "Perfect. Thanks. Why'd you pick this one?"
John: "You said you wanted an oscillation damper. I figure you could modify the rillon valve."
Jack: "I can. But how'd you know that?"
John thinks for a moment. He glances up at Jack, who is smiling.
John: "That's cool."
Outside, the Charrids are advancing on the bunker in groups of five or six. One group sets off a mortar shell which lands just in front of where Aeryn is walking. The noise wakes Rygel up with a start. He gasps and sits up. There are more explosions. Aeryn moves from cover to cover as a Charrid armed with a ractor sneaks up on Rygel's turret. Rygel is moaning and leaning his head on the gun and is unaware of the danger behind him. Aeryn gets to the turret in time to shoot the Charrid before it can stab Rygel. The Charrid falls to the ground outside. Rygel turns at the noise: "Oh! Wh...what happened?" Aeryn climbs into the turret.
Aeryn: "What happened to you?"
Rygel: "Piece of schrapnel. Why are we still here? Where the yotz is Talyn?"
Aeryn: "Dunno, comms are still out. Here, I'll take over."
Rygel: "No, no. You're still mobile. I'm not. Just bring me food!"
Aeryn: "You want to eat...now?"
Rygel: "Bring me food, and I'll keep going."
John: "It's startin to make sense. It's all comin together."
Jack: "We still need an inversion loop, and I don't have the right parts to build it."
John: "Sure you do." He picks something up off the table and hands it to Jack. "Use this to set up the resonance, and this.." he picks something else up and tosses it to Jack.."to flip it."
Jack laughs. He looks at the two parts: "Good. And what an elegant solution. I couldn't accomplish this without you."
John looks at him and gets a funny look on his face: "Jack. What the hell are we building?"
Jack: "A displacement engine."
John: "Yah, and whatever it is will take out a Scarran dreadnaught."
Jack: "Yes."
John: "And then?"
Jack: "What do you mean?"
John: "I mean, how far are you gonna take this? Is this the end, or are you gonna try to put all the toothpaste back in the tube?"
Jack: "I doubt that's possible."
John: "But you're gonna give it the old college try, aren't ya? You're gonna kill me, Furlow and Aeryn."
Jack: "Aeryn poses no threat. Furlow....I'm uncertain." John nods.
John: "And what about me?"
Jack: "I no longer doubt your intentions John."
Outside, Rygel's gun is active again.
Furlow: "Coils are almost ready."
Jack: "What's the tolerance?"
Furlow: "Lurg three. Close as I can get 'em."
John: "Should be close enough."
Aeryn joins them: "Rygel's keeping the Charrids at bay, but barely. Where do we stand?"
John: "We're almost done."
Jack: "I need a quarter arn. I have to install the Partanium and build the emitter array. I want you to stay clear of this hanger until I give the okay. I don't want you exposed to this radiation."
Aeryn: "Well, I can check the area outside the hanger doors again."
John: "You want some company?"
Aeryn: "Sure." They leave together.
Jack picks up the cannister of Partanium and leaves. Furlow keeps working.
We see a sky is a beautiful blue, with pink and red clouds.
Aeryn: "I still can't raise Talyn."
The dreadnaught is flying through the beautiful clouds.
John: "And the dreadnaught is due in what? Two more arns?"
Aeryn: "We may not even have that much time."
John: "You think they're in trouble?" He and Aeryn are moving through the complex fairly quickly.
Aeryn: "Well, Scarrans will send an advance scout unit, before committing the main force."
John: "Like what, a prowler detail?"
They begin to climb the stairs.
Aeryn: "Anything from a one-man stealth capsule to a full fighter squad. But, with Talyn blinded, they may be upon him before he can starburst away."
John: "Well, hell. We didn't have enough to worry about."
Aeryn: "Hah."
Jack opens the Partanium cannister. A blue light shines up out of it and illuminates his face. He takes a small chunk of glowing Partanium out of the cannister. He places it into a holder on the device.
Jack: "Furlow!"
Furlow runs over, holding something: "Here you go. This all you need?"
Jack: "Yah. This case could be stronger."
Furlow looks over at the glowing Partanium: "Eww."
Jack: "Don't worry. I haven't initiated the Partanium reaction yet."
Furlow: "When you do...just in case somethin goes wrong...where is the emergency shutdown control?"
Jack: "There isn't one. Once the device is activated, you can't shut it down."
Furlow follows Jack around the table: "Then what does it do? Blow up? You buildin a bomb here, Jack?"
Jack: "Not at all. After 1.4 arns, a meltdown occurs and destroys the device."
Furlow: "So you only got one shot at whatever it is this thing does?
Jack: "It's all I should need. I'm launching soon."
Furlow: "You're flying the module?"
Jack: "Yes."
Furlow: "Does Johnny know about this?"
Jack: "No, and I don't wanta have an argument with him about it. As soon as he and Aeryn give the all-clear from the outside, I want you to open those hanger doors. Now, go on."
Furlow doesn't move.
Jack: "Well...go on. I'm about to start the reactor."
Furlow: "Can't let you do that Jack." She turns around to face him. She has a pulse pistol in her hand. "Back off."
Jack: "This is the only chance we have to keep the Scarrans from..."
Furlow: "From paying me a lot of money. Now..." She sets herself to steady her aim: "You aint goin nowhere."
Jack looks at her and smiles a half smile. He turns around to go back to work. Furlow shoots him in the back, twice, very quickly. He falls to the floor with a thud. Furlow blows the smoke off the barrel of her gun. Furlow walks over and looks at him lying on the floor, then whistles. Two Charrids descend from the top of the bunker, on ropes. One of them takes off his hat and holds it.
Charrid: "You had to kill him? He would have made a useful prize."
Furlow: "You think he'da cooperated? Forget it. This, my friend, is the prize."
She walks over to show him the device.
Charrid: "Huh! What is it?"
Furlow: "Well, it's a...um...I don't exactly know what it is, but I do know that our friend here seemed to think that it could kill a dreadnaught."
Charrid: "Hah! It hardly seems finished."
Furlow: "No. Sure it is. Just a little here, there, you know." She waves her hand around by the device. "Anyway, you know, I really think we oughta scoot, while we got the chance."
Charrid: "Agreed." He walks around the module quickly.
Furlow: "Excuse me. Uh...where'ya going? Cause see I...I'm the one that's flying the module here. Not...not you." The Charrid has climbed up the module's ladder.
Charrid: "Incorrect." The second Charrid comes up behind her and points his gun at her. The first Charrid also points his gun at her.
Furlow puts her hands up: "No, come on, you know. I need you guys to cover me when I retreat and..."
Charrid: "No. See, we don't trust you any longer."
Furlow: "What?"
Charrid: "Cause you've allowed too many of us to die."
Furlow: "I had to do that, you know. Don't you get it? If they knew I was on your side, then..."
Charrid: "We're not sure whose side you're on! I will fly the module alone. You!" He gestures to the other Charrid. "Reattach that to the module." The other Charrid moves to comply. He turns back to Furlow who still has her hands up in the air.
Furlow shrugs: "Hmm?"
John and Aeryn are walking back into the bunker. They hear gunfire. They start to run.
John: "Jack?!" They run in to find Furlow on the floor, holding her gun.
Furlow: "Charrids. They snuck in. I nailed 'em but..."
John looks around to see where they could have come from.
Furlow: "...they got Jack."
John glances at her again, then takes off to look for Jack. He finds him on the ground under a wing. John kneels down beside him: "No. No, no, no, no. Aeryn follows him over. Furlow comes around from the other side of the module.
There is a small blood stain on the floor beside Jack's head. He opens his eyes. He tries to talk but can't.
John: "It's okay." He looks up at Aeryn. John gently feels Jack's hair.
John: "It's okay. Jack, I'll finish it. We'll keep your Ancients safe and sound."
Jack suddenly transforms back to his alien appearance and dies. John just looks at him and glances back at Aeryn.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
The dreadnaught is still flying, inexorably through space, surrounded by its swarm of support vessels.
Aeryn and Furlow are standing near the module, while John kneels over the body of the alien "Jack".
Aeryn: "What happened? How did they get in?"
Furlow: "You tell me. I thought you and the short one were supposed to be guardin the place."
Aeryn: "Well, what about you suppposed booby-traps?"
Furlow: "What about them?"
Aeryn: "I think you should check them." John comes over to join them.
Furlow: "Fine. I will." Furlow leaves.
Aeryn: "John, we have 2 arns at most before the dreadnaught gets here. Can you operate this device?"
John, dejectedly: "It's not finished."
Aeryn: "Can you finish it?"
John: "I'm not even sure what it does."
Aeryn: "Well, you have to! I...I...I thought that the knowledge was starting to..open up in you."
John: "Maybe I'll pick it up as I go along."
John turns to look at the device. Aeryn touches him on the cheek as she turns away. John picks up a tool to start working on the device. Aeryn leaves.
Talyn is orbiting the planet...
Stark is speaking quietly to Crais: "Talyn's senses are beginning to recover. Once they do, he can target the Scarran and shoot him."
Crais: "It would take heavy and prolonged fire to bring down a Scarran. He won't just stand there...'
Stark, loudly: "Work! Work!" He slaps Crais' arm as he shouts this.
The Scarran walks back onto the bridge.
Scarran: "I can find no pilot onboard this leviathan."
Stark: "There isn't one. It doesn't need it. There is a direct interface."
Crais: "Stark!" Stark turns to look at Crais.
Scarran: "Let him speak." Stark looks back and forth, between Crais and the Scarran.
Stark, to Crais: "Shut up!" to the Scarran: "The best way to operate the ship is via a neural transponder. Look." Stark goes over to where Crais is working and pulls him back towards the Scarran. Crais makes little moaning noises as Stark does this. He pulls down the collar of Crais' jacket and shows his neck to the Scarran. "Here's the socket, you see? His transponder was damaged so we had to remove it. but the ship can construct a replacement."
Scarran: "You will have the ship make one for me."
Stark: "Yes. Yes. Whatever you say." He genuflects a bit and the Scarran leaves.
Stark, quietly to Crais: "I had to tell him. He would have forced it out of you anyway."
Crais: "You did well. Instruct Talyn to prepare a neural transponder...two in fact."
Stark: "Two?"
Crais: "One for me, and one for the Scarran."
John is working on the device. He has a tool in the top and several more sticking out of the sides and he is making adjustments. The device is making little beeping noises (like R2D2). Aeryn comes in and stands behind him, leaning on a wing of the module. She doesn't say anything, but he becomes aware she is there. He swivels his head to glance at her, then goes right back to work.
John: "It's gonna work. It's all comin together."
Aeryn walks closer to him. John is concentrating on what he's doing, very hard. Suddenly, he has a vision. First he sees his module in a wormhole, then the AHR alien,
John: "I got it." ... then the wormhole again, then the equations floating in air that Scorpius and the John Neural Clone saw...
John: "Aeryn. I got it!"...then all three repeat...the wormhole, the alien, the equations.
John: "It all fits. Everything fits! I..I..I know how to do this. I...I I can build this thing! I know what it does!"
Aeryn: "Can it destroy the dreadnaught?"
John: "Um.........it could destroy a planet. Jaaack. All right, he's, ah, built it so it self-destructs after one use. That's good...that's smart."
Furlow arrives back for checking for breaches in the defenses: "Big hole in the sewage outlet. Think I might have found where the Charrids got in."
Aeryn: "Did you seal it?"
Furlow: "With what?"
Aeryn: "I'll seal it." She picks up an explosive device and leaves.
Furlow, under her breath: "I'll seal it."
The Scarran knocks Crais to the floor of a corridor on Talyn.
Scarran: "Feeble Sebacean. You believe that even with vessels like this, you can defeat Scarrans. Slave!" Stark comes running up. "The neural transponder?"
Stark: "Soon. Nearly finished. Soon."
Scarran: "It will give me absolute control of the ship?"
Stark: "Yes. Yes. You will think as one."
Scarran: "Assit your captain."
Stark: "Yes. Yes." The Scarran walks off and Stark bends to help Crais up.
Furlow is leaning on the module as John attaches the device to it.
Furlow: "How many other people have this weapon?"
John: "No one."
Furlow: "That's right. Gettin the idea?"
John: "Elucitin capacitor." He hands Furlow one tool, which she lays down and hands him another.
Furlow: "See, ah, we can sell it to everyone as deterrence. Give it to no one and charge 'em to maintain the balance. Or, of course we could just keep it ourselves and find a...peaceful application."
John: "Furlow. Is it always about the money?"
Furlow reaches up and grabs John's chin. She uses it to pull his face closer to hers: "Is there anything else? I mean, how much sex can you have?"
John: "I don't know. I haven't maxed out yet." Furlow gives him a little smile and lets go of his chin.
John: "The Scarrans have your data. That's a blueprint that has to be destroyed."
Furlow: "Okay. We use this box to stop 'em, but later,(she makes a clicking noise) we talk business."
John: "You help me, and I will make you Miss 21st Century Wormhole."
Furlow: "Outstanding. Now, what'dya need?"
John: "Clear a launch path." He gestures out in front of the module. "Get rid of that crap."
He gets down off the module and Furlow starts to climb down too.
Furlow: "Comin right up. Tight fit through the exit portals. Shield doors don't open all the way." John puts on his long, leather coat. Furlow continues: "You'd better go eyeball the angle, or you'll shear off a wingtip for sure." She wheels of a tool cart.
John: "All right." He puts his goggles on, around his neck, and reaches up to take a tool cloth off the top of the module. He sets it on a table and starts to walk off. Furlow is standing on the opposite side of the module from him.
Furlow: "So....partners?"
John: "Partners." He gives his head a decisive shake and leaves. Furlow watches him go.
Outside the bunker, the Charrids have formed up in groups. Aeryn joins Rygel in his gun turret.
Aeryn: "There's still plenty of them out there." Rygel is quietly munching on something.
Aeryn: "Enough of them to squeeze us into a cross-fire. Why haven't they?"
John walks back into the hanger where the module is.
John: "Furlow?" She's nowhere in sight. John notices that the device is missing off the top of the module. He hears the sound of an engine revving and starts towards it.
John: "Furlow!"
Furlow: "Come on in John." She is sitting in a dunebuggy and John comes up to her. She has a pulse pistol which she is pointing at him. "Round the front so I don't have to twist my neck." John moves to the front of the buggy.
John has his hands out to his sides: "This is a big mistake."
Furlow: "If you wanta save your life, you're gonna hafta cooperate. I know it looks great on ya, but...2 fingers. Pistol."
John pulls his coat back and takes his pistol out of the holster with 2 fingers. He tosses off to the far side of the buggy.
Furlow: "And, uh...goggles."
John takes his goggles off from around his neck.
Furlow: "Drop 'em." He does.
Furlow: "Now step on 'em."
John steps down hard on the goggles and grinds them with his boot.
John: "There's a Scarran dreadnaught on the way. Where you gonna go, Furlow?"
Furlow: "To meet 'em. To save my life. You know, when the Scarrans get this baby, (she pats the device which is propped on the seat next to her) they'll go away."
John: "Don't do this."
Furlow: "Wormhole fulla reasons why I should." She clicks a control that opens the door. "And no upside to crossin the Scarrans." A flare hits and blinds them. Furlow puts on her goggles. John covers his eyes and looks away.
Furlow: "I gotta go while I got cover. Don't stand in my way, John."
John throws himself to the side as she pops the engine into gear and flies out of the bunker.
John: "Aeryn!" He shakes his head in disgust. Furlow goes off, past the debris and over the dune.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
The area outside the bunker looks like a wasteland, but it is quiet. There are no more Charrids to be seen and no more firing going on. Aeryn is sitting in the gun turret with Rygel.
Aeryn: "Why have they stopped shelling? What are we missing?"
Rygel: "What?"
A lone dune buggy races across their vision, heading away from the bunker. A figure appears, running after the buggy.
Rygel: "What's that?"
Aeryn: "It's John."
John runs to a dune buggy the Charrids have left behind. Aeryn puts on her goggles and starts to climb out of the gun turret.
Aeryn: "Cover us."
Rygel: "Frell!"
Rygel shoots once. Aeryn runs across the sand: "John!"
He swings the dune buggy around and stops to pick her up.
John, shouting to be heard over the noise of the engine: "Furlow's with the Scarrans."
Aeryn has to shout too: "That explains why the Charrids have stayed on the perimeter."
John: "Explains a lot of things." He heads the dune buggy at Furlow's tracks.
Aeryn: "You know, we are running out of time."
John: "We still got time."
Furlow is still ahead of them, racing as fast as her dune buggy will go.
Aeryn: "You know, this new knowledge you've got in your head?"
John: "Yah."
Aeryn: "Can you use it to get home?"
John: "Yah."
Aeryn: "Let's do what we have to do here, and then we'll go."
John looks at her and grins. There is a popping sound and a flash. The dune buggy swerves.
John: "What the...?"
Aeryn: "Frell!"
There is a Charrid on a dune buggy behind them, shooting at them. John swerves the buggy from side to side to throw his aim off. Aeryn stands up to use the gun that's mounted backwards on their buggy. She tries to shoot it, but nothing happens. She slaps it.
Aeryn: "You'll never guess." She gets back into the buggy and sits down.
John: "It doesn't work?"
Aeryn: "Uh huh."
John: "How the hell can we have the only gun on the planet that doesn't work?"
Aeryn: "It's your fault."
John: "My fault?!"
Aeryn: "Well, you know if I was here on my own it would be working right now."
John: "Well I hope you've got a plan, baby, cause I'm fresh out of ideas."
Aeryn: "Drive straight."
John: "Straight?!"
Aeryn: "It's a plan! He has to follow our tracks."
Aeryn picks up a disk from behind her in the buggy. She tosses it out onto the ground.
Aeryn: "Okay. You get Furlow. I've got your back. I love you!"
She gets ready to jump. As she does, John smacks her on the butt. (damn! leather is loud!)
John: "Love you."
Aeryn jumps out of the moving buggy. She lands on her feet but manages to drop and roll. She falls quite a ways down the dune, but quickly runs back up and stands in their tracks. She can see the disk she had tossed from the buggy. The Charrid sees her and revvs his engine. Aeryn wipes the sand off her hands and puts her goggles up on her forehead. She stands there calmly, waiting as the Charrid's buggy accelerates towards her. As it approaches the disk, she draws her pistol and takes aim. As the buggy drives over the disk, Aeryn fires, exploding the disk. The buggy flies in the air and rolls on its side. The Charrid falls out onto the sand. Aeryn walks down the dune towards the buggy. The Charrid crawls out of it and crawls towards a gun that has fallen in the sand.
Aeryn, quietly: "Run away." She has her hand near her pistol, ready to draw it. The Charrid continues to crawl towards the gun.
Aeryn: "Be smart." Louder: "Run away!"
The Charrid reaches the rifle, grabs it and rolls over onto his back. He stands up. Aeryn pulls her pistol and shoots him.
She sighs and reholsters her gun: "Should've run."
She rocks the dune buggy on its side until she can push it upright. She stands bent over, with her hands on her knees, catching her breath.
John is closing in on Furlow. He pulls his pulse pistol and shoots at her. He misses, but waits a few microts until she is in better view and shoots again. This time he hits her engine.
It blows and she starts to slow down. John drives up beside her rear tire and bumps it. Her buggy pitches and rolls over, down an embankment. The device falls out of the seat and lands on the sand. So does Furlow. She quickly stands up, pointing her pistol at an approaching John. The is a loud sound of gas escaping from the overturned buggy.
Furlow: "You know, you shoulda git while ya had the chance."
John: "You shoulda done the right thing."
Furlow: "How well you know me? You think I like the Scarrans? They sent in the Charrids, slaughtered my crew, tortured me...you think I faked all my wounds?"
John is standing right in front of her: "Turn around and walk away."
Furlow: "I'd rather be dead, John. Too old to start over. Got nothin left. Won't leave without that." She gestures with her head, towards where the device is laying.
John: "Furlow, I don't have time for this."
Suddenly, another flare hits. John, without any goggles, is blinded. He puts his arms up over his face and turns, trying to protect his eyes.
Furlow: "Damn." She comes up behind John and pushes him down. The pistol is knocked out of his hand and he lifts up his head to look towards it...
Onboard Talyn...
Stark sidles over to Crais and whispers: "Ready?"
Scarran: "Where is the neural transponder? Why do I not yet have control of this vessel?"
Stark walks over to a console away from Crais: "Because, because, because I'm still...Ahh! These controls!" He gestures at the console. "See for yourself."
Scarran: "Are you subverting my commands?"
Stark: "No! Truly..."
Crais: "Scarran! I subvert your commands."
Scarran: "You deny me the transponder?" A snake like appendage appears from of Talyn.
Crais: "Do you still want it?"
Scarran: "Without delay."
Crais: "Then...you shall have it."
The appendage strikes the Scarran in the back and he writhes and groans.
Crais: "Talyn! Fire!"
Talyn's guns begin firing into the Scarran. Stark hides his head from the blasts but Crais stands there watching. As Talyn continues to fire, Stark turns back to Crais.
Stark: "Crais! Get down!" When he doesn't resond, Stark grabs him and turns his face away from the flashes. He pulls him behind a console, just before a shot hits it. The Scarran stands transfixed by the appendage while Talyn continues to shoot. He continues to roar and groan. Finally the Scarran falls to his knees. He drops over onto his face. When he falls, we see Stark kneeling, holding Crais in a hug.
Crais: "Thank you."
Stark: "It may not happen again."
On the planet, a piercing blue light is pulsing from the device which is lying in the sand.
John: "Furlow, look. The device. It's active." Furlow is kneeling over John's back, with her pistol against the back of his neck. They're both facing towards the device. "You can't shut it off. By the time you get it to the Scarrans it'll be useless. It'll be slag. I can't deactivate it, but you gotta let me use it to take out the dreadnaught."
Furlow: "Casing's open John."
John: "I can close it."
Furlow: "Uh huh. It's too late already. The reaction's building too fast." Furlow gets up, off John, though she still has her gun pointed at his shoulder. John starts to get up as well. "I think we both better get outa here."
John: "No, you go."
Furlow: "Don't be the hero, John. Always be the one to walk away while the hero dies. That's my motto." Furlow pats John on the butt and starts off up the dune to where he left his buggy. John gets up on his knees and retrieves his pulse pistol. He puts it in it's holster, still looking at the device.
(martial music, heavy on the drums, begins to play)
The device is pulsing blue light. John looks up at the sky and whispers: "Okay." He gets down on his hands and knees and crawls towards the device. He sort of scoots on the side of one leg and his butt until he is close enough to reach it with a lunge.
John, still whispering: "Okay. One...Two...Three." The scene continues in slow-motion as John lunges towards the device, face first. He reaches out and slams the lid shut. He screams as the blue touches his face for a split second, and there is an electronic noise. He puts his head down, into the sand. (the music stops.) There is silence, except for John's breathing. He pounds the sand with his fist and makes a frustrated noise. "Huh!" When he sits up, his face is white with sand. He kneels and looks at the device. He notices that both hands are clenched into fists. Slowly, he opens them and the sand that was trapped in them falls out. (the music starts again, but very quietly) He sits back on his heels and shakes his hands.
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
Aeryn arrives in the Charrids' dune buggy. She drives up to John and stops. She pulls herself up to stand, holding onto the roof of the buggy.
Aeryn: "You okay?"
John: "Yeah.....I'm fine." He is staring off into the distance, still covered in sand. Slowly, he says: "We have to hurry."
Aboard Talyn....
Crais comms: "Crichton. Aeryn. Rygel What is your status?"
Down below, in the gun turret, Rygel hears him.
Rygel: "Frelled. Mivonks-on-a-plate frelled."
Rygel comms: "What's your status?"
Crais: "I am partially sighted. Talyn has recovered sufficiently to attempt starburst."
Rygel: "Well, pick me up and let's go!"
Crais: "Crichton? Aeryn?"
John is standing by the module, remounting the device.
John comms: "Crais. We got one shot at this. The, uh...displacement engine will take out the Scarrans. You need to pick up Sparky and get the hell outa here."
Aeryn: "Yes. Starburst immediately." John rests his eyes on his hand.
Crais and Stark look at each other. Stark shakes his head and says softly: "No."
Crais : "It is unanimous."
Crais comms: "We stay."
John: "Aw, damn it Crais. Knock it off. You're gonna to make me start liking you." John looks away. His voice is husky.
Crais: "Is there anything we can do?"
John: "Yah. It would be helpful to have the ah...dreadnaught directly in line with the mouth of the wormhole."
Crais: "What wormhole?"
John: "The one I'm about to rustle up." John starts to climb down off the module.
Crais looks over at Stark: "We will attempt to lure them. Good fortune."
John loses his grip and slides off the module. He lands on the floor beside it. Aeryn hurries over to help him up.
Aeryn: "John? Are you hurt?"
John: "No. No, I'm fine." He leans back against the module.
Aeryn: "What happened? What did she do to you?"
John: "She didn't do anything"
Aeryn: "What's the matter?"
John: "She didn't..." He grabs Aeryn's face and pulls her to him. He kisses her, hard.
Aeryn pushes him away: "What is the matter?"
John puts his forehead on hers: "Radiation. Massive radiation. I couldn't...help it. (he has to catch his breath) I couldn't stop it."
Aeryn is stunned, looking at him. She shakes her head no: "There has to be something you can do."
John: "No. I have to finish this." He turns back towards the module.
Aeryn pushes him aside: "You're finished here. I'm flying the mission."
John pulls her back: "Aeryn, you don't know what to do."
Aeryn: "You will talk me through it. You will get help and you will not argue with me on this one." There are tears in her voice.
John pulls her back again: "Damnit! This is not something I can coach you through. It's half intuition, it's half feel, and I know it like I invented it."
An unreleased tear glints in Aeryn's eye: "So it's your life for everyone else's."
John looks into her eyes and doesn't look away: "And you're different how?"
Aeryn: "I'm different because I love you."
John: "Then you know I have to do this." He reaches out and feels her cheek. Her head just shakes, like little "no's". One tear escapes her eye.
John: "I'm coming back."
The hanger doors are opening as John settles into the cockpit of the module. He closes the canopy, and Aeryn backs away, slowly.
The module takes off, over the devastation of the planet.
The dreadnaught continues it flight towards the planet.
On Talyn's bridge, Crais comms: "Scarran dreadnaught. This is Captain Bilar Crais...Peacekeeper. Approach any closer, you will be engaged and destroyed."
Stark: "They must be terrified."
Aeryn hurries through the bunker, setting explosive charges. Her face is set, but she sighs and stops to rest her forehead against a concrete pillar.
The dreadnaught is continuing on its path towards the planet.
In the module, John is having a hard time holding his head straight. He gasps a little, and comms: "Crais. Where is it? I can't see that damned dreadnaught anywhere."
Crais is standing in the middle of Talyn's bridge: "Closing fast. On an intercept vector with Talyn, but Crichton, there is no wormhole to maneuver them."
John's face is suddenly lite up: "Oh, there's my flare. Mama Crichton's baby boy, makin wormholes." He turns the module back towards the planet and the flare. A wormhole appears and he heads towards it.
Stark is at a command console: "Close... Close... Very close."
Still the dreadnaught comes. It can be seen to approach the planet.
Stark looks up at the sound of beeping: "This is?"
Crais, quietly: "We're being targeted."
Aeryn runs out of the bunker as a massive explosion rips through it. It throws her out, against a concrete redoubt. Rygel hears the explosion and gasps, but Aeryn is already on her feet and running towards the gun turret.
Rygel: "What was that?"
Aeryn, running towards him: "I destroyed Furlow's lab." She climbs up into the turret and leans back against a wall to catch her breath. "There's nothing left."
John: "Okay displacement engine. Time to displace." He reaches over to the side and hits a toggle switch. The are some electronic noises. A gold streak appears near the mouth of the wormhole, where the module is flying.
Crais comms: "Scarran dreadnaught, withhold your fire. We surrender. I repeat, we surrender." To Talyn, quietly: "Talyn, stand down your weaponry. Make them believe. Draw them in."
The gold streak continues to circumnavigate the mouth of the wormhole. The inside of the wormhole has changed somehow. There is a flash of light from inside it.
Aeryn and Rygel are looking out of the gun turret, towards the sky.
Aeryn: "John?"
John: "I'm almost there."
Crais and Stark wait anxiously on Talyn's bridge, watching.
Rygel continues to stare off into the sky. Aeryn sighs and puts her head down into her hand.
There is another flash of light from within the wormhole.
Stark, in amazement: "The wormhole is touching the star. It's touching the star."
John, in a very breathy voice: "Okay Jack. This one's for you."
The module continues to fly inside the wormhole for just a microt and then, suddenly, veers off and straight away from it, into the darkness.
As the dreadnaught continues to advance....
A glowing ball of fire appears inside the wormhole. It gets closer and closer, larger and larger, brighter and brighter....
John watches from the module as the glowing ball leaves the wormhole and flies into the dreadnaught, completely swallowing it, until nothing is left.
On Talyn's bridge, Crais and Stark shield their eyes and turn away from the blast. It looks as if the dreadnaught is melting or being swallowed by a star. As the brightness diminishes, they take their hands down from their faces. The star seems to go back into the mouth of the wormhole, which winks out. Nothing is left of it, or the dreadnaught and it's retinue.
Silence.
Stark, whispers: "I have no prayer for that."
Aeryn sits, holding her head with her hand, her face swinched up, trying not to cry.
She looks up and comms, with anguish in her voice: "John? Are you...?"
Rygel is still watching the sky.
John comms: "Yah, baby. I'm...I'm still here."
Aeryn leans her head back in relief and sighs.
Onboard the module, John sighs: "Told ya I'd come back."
Aeryn rests her head. Tears run slowly down her face and she closes her eyes.
END OF ACT FOUR
EPILOGUE
Talyn is still flying over the planet Dam-Ba-Da. Inside....
John is lying on the captain's bed. It has a large PK symbol headboard. He is propped up against what looks like a built-in bolster, with his head laid back. He has his right leg stretched out straight and his left crooked at the knee, under the right. He makes a little coughing, gasping sound. Aeryn is sitting sideways on the bed, near his head. Stark is standing on the other side of the bed. Crais and Rygel enter the room, near the foot. When they do, Aeryn turns towards them. She gets up and walks towards them. Crais crosses over to stand near Stark.
Crais: "The radiation sickness treatments from Talyn's emergency kit should..."
John, in a quiet, husky voice: "Relax. It was a big hit. Nothin to be done"...he swallows.."and I hate long good-byes." His eyes are half-closed.
Crais sits on the edge of the bed and speaks quietly as well: "Your sacrifice does not go unnoted, Commander."
John lifts his head off the bolster so he can look directly at Crais. His voice is barely a whisper: "Crais... you... find the better part of yourself." Crais looks away from John's scrutiny. "You... have to take care of them."
Aeryn is standing beside the bed, blank faced and staring, like a soldier. The only break in her stillness, the only sign of emotion is her swallowing.
Crais has trouble holding John's gaze. He struggles to say: "I will." He stands up. "I... hope you can believe that." He steps closer to the head of the bed. He reaches down to touch John's hands. "Good-bye Crichton." John looks at him, then shuts his eyes. Crais turns and walks away.
John: "Hey, hey, hey. Spark...ie!"
Rygel, with his chest wrapped around his schrapnel wound, flies over near the bed.
Rygel: "They say it's not good."
John: "Sparky, come here." He gestures with his head. Rygel floats nearer.
John: "My stuff...you can't have it." He shakes his head.
Rygel starts to laugh, then so does John, softly. He grins, as does Rygel. John coughs.
Rygel: "It will be hard not to think of you."
John: "I'm gonna miss you, Dominar." His eyes close again, and Rygel flies away.
John moans and falls over to his side, like he is going to retch. Aeryn jumps at the sound and gets up from the chair she has been sitting in.
Aeryn: "Stark."
Stark hurries to John's side and kneels. Aeryn is on the other side.
Aeryn: "It's okay."
Stark puts a hand on John's forehead and lifts his mask with the other. The light from his face shines full on John. John gasps and moans. Aeryn has her hand under his head. The light seems to ease him. He quiets. Aeryn takes a breath and looks away. At last, Stark lowers his mask and John's face goes dark. As Stark removes his hand from his forehead, John reaches up and touches it, bringing it back. He holds it there for what seems like a long time, his eyes meeting Stark's past the hand. Finally, he releases it and Stark moves it away. Stark continues to look directly into John's eyes and slowly nods. Stark gets up and quietly backs out of the room, leaving Aeryn alone with John. They both watch him leave.
Aeryn is sitting beside John, curled on her side, with her head next to his. She looks at his face, but he has his eyes half closed and is looking upwards and away. Music is playing softly in the background.
Aeryn is trying not to cry: "I'm very angry."
John: "Me too." Aeryn nods her head.
Aeryn: "We had good times." She sighs.
John: "I wouldn't change it for the world." She feels his face with her fingertip. He almost turns his head, then doesn't
John: "You made me...a better person."
Aeryn grins: "That wasn't hard."
John smiles, then his face goes slack again.
Aeryn whispers: "I love you...so much."
John tries again to turn his head, but can't: "I love you."
Aeryn: "I would have gone to Earth."
John gives a half smile: "Um..sorry you never got to meet my dad...my real dad I mean. Sorry I never met your dad. I'm sorry about a lot of things."
Aeryn shakes her head: "No. Don't be. I don't want you to go that way."
John: "I won't"
Aeryn screws up her face to keep from crying, and shakes her head, yes this time.
John: "Huh."
Aeryn: "What?"
John: "They say...it's a lucky or an unambitious man who goes when he's ready. That said...Scorpius is gone. I'm at peace."
Aeryn picks up the blanket from the foot of the bed and lays it partially over him.
John: "I don't hu...hurt. I...I did some good things." Aeryn nods several times. Tears are running freeling down her face now, dripping off the end of her nose and her chin.
John: "I'm proud of my life. And I'm with you." Aeryn smiles at him through her tears. And feels his face again. She sucks her lip and brings herself around in front of him and kisses him. He kisses her back, but softly. She kisses him again, and again, until he is struggling to breathe. She lies back beside him, looking at his face.
John starts to speak, stops, then starts again: "Don't worry about me. I've never felt better."
Aeryn smiles gently when he says this. She continues to smile until she realizes he is no longer breathing. She puts her hand over her mouth to stifle her crying, then reaches towards his eyes. She pulls her hand back into a fist and pushes it against her mouth. Her face is crumpled in pain. Tears streak down it. At last, she reaches up once more with her fingers and closes his eyes. The music has become a funeral bell, tolling. She pulls the blanket up over herself and curls up on his shoulder as the bell continues to toll.
END OF EPILOGUE
