Air Date: October 17, 2004
Written by Rockne S. O'Bannon & David Kemper
Directed by Brian Henson
Transcript by Xenajules2
Edited and put on-line by Bluey
MINI - The Peacekeepers War
Cold Open:
The space shuttle sits atop the tower, ready for launch.
A man, dressed in a hawaiian shirt, open at the throat, faces away from the shuttle and says:
"My name is John Crichton. An astronaut."
The space shuttle launches. The man's face appears, capped by a pilot's helmet with a clear visor. A smaller ship is manuvered out of the shuttle's cargo bay. There is an explosion.
"Four years ago, I got... shot... through a wormhole..."
The smaller ship moves away from the shuttle. It cants over and slides into a wormhole. The pilot looks overhead at his controls. The wormhole closes behind him and winks out.
"... to a distant part of the galaxy."
There are asteroids and other ships around the small one. The ships appear to be shooting at each other. The man swivels his head, trying to follow what is happening. His ship is drawn inside a huge, oval shaped vessel.
"I ended up on this living ship, populated by escaping prisoners..."
Several faces flash by: A male alien with facial hair and tentacles, a female humanoid with a braid and a black pressure suit, a tiny, froglike creature and a grey skinned female alien. The man is now sitting outside his small ship and is wearing a black leather uniform.
"... who became my friends."
Previously, on Farscape (voice of John Crichton)...
Scene One: from "Infinite Possibilities, Part One: Daedalus Demands", Ancient Jack is talking to John, in his head. "We gave you a gift. You misused it."
Scene Two: from "We're So Screwed, Part Two: Hot to Katrazi", John points at Commandant Grayza, then at Emperor Staleek. "You want what I know about wormholes."
Scene Three: from "Bad Timing", Moya sits near the mouth of a wormhole. A transport pod flies into it. Aeryn: "What if the Scarrans are heading to earth? John: "Earth is not ready." Another, unknown ship flies into the wormhole. A Scarran transmits from inside the vessel: "Our course is set for Crichton's home planet."
Scene Four: from "We're So Screwed, Part Two: Hot to Katrazi", John points his pulse pistol at the prone Scorpius' face. John shouts: "What did you tell them?" Scorpius gasps: "Nothing!"
Scene Five: from "Bad Timing", the transport pod and the Scarran ship both fly inside the wormhole.
Scene Six: from "We're So Screwed, Part Three: La Bomba", Commandant Grayza: "Give us wormhole weapons and everyone will be safe."
Scene Seven: from "We're So Screwed, Part Three: La Bomba", a Scarran waves his arms while while transmitting from inside an elevator. John and Aeryn are inside another elevator.
Scene Eight: from "Bad Timing", John stands in front of the American flag at Serenity Base, on the moon, and looks towards a distant Earth.
Scene Nine: from "Bad Timing", Sikozu and Scorpius stand in front of a hatch onboard Moya. Scorpius: "The Scarrans will ravage your planet. I can prevent it."
Scene Ten: from "Bad Timing", John faces Aeryn while sitting in a boat. He leans towards her. John: "Will you marry me?" Aeryn nods and whispers: "Yes."
Scene Eleven: from "Bad Timing", John stands up in the middle of a small boat and yells: "We're having a baby!" Aeryn reaches out and grabs his coat, trying to pull him back down into the boat.
Scene Twelve: from "Bad Timing", a large ship flies towards the boat. Aeryn and John both turn to look at it. As it flies over them, some kind of projectile leaves the ship, heading right towards John and Aeryn.
And now... Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars... on SciFi (voice of announcer)
Prologue
The quiet of empty space...
Inside Moya, a broken conduit hangs limply and drips fluid, with a splash. There are several wires hanging beside it. Nearby, John Crichton lies on a table. His eyes are closed and his face and neck have traces of blood on them. He is wearing a dark colored t-shirt. Moya's Command is empty looking and there are flashes of flames as electrical circuits burn out. A voice echoes in the stillness...
Aeryn' voice: "You did it... John. (her voice breaks) All fighting has stopped. There's no more dying. And, all of a sudden... three is not such a scary number.
The cargo bay is deserted. There are barrels and other debris lying on the floor. The corridors are lit up but littered with broken bits of equipment. The lighting flashes erratically.
Aeryn: "But, no matter how wonderful this is..."
John lies perfectly still on the table, his arms at his sides. He is covered with a shiny gold blanket and large portable lights are pointing down at him from several points around the table.
Aeryn: "... I will not accept it... as a trade-off... for losing you."
There is a flash of light...
ACT ONE
A blue, ringed planet looms in front of a small moon. A large vessel rumbles into view. It has a round, bulbous front and appears monstrous in size. As it slowly moves towards the planet, an armarda of smaller ships become visible. All the ships have orange glowing lights and appear to be of similar design. As they pass by the planet's ring, ships of different designs appear. All the vessels have multiple weapons arrays visible on their exteriors. Suddenly, one of the ships pulls ahead of the others and begins firing at the lead vessel. The weapons target the round bulb at the front of the ship and bright orange flames explode from it. Several smaller ships break away from the group and also begin firing at the lead vessel as they fly past it. The larger vessels surrounding them continue to fly in formation as the lead vessel takes multiple hits and finally explodes in a ball of orange flame. It sinks downwards into the planetary ring as it disintegrates.
Under a green colored sea, rocks and aquatic plants litter the ocean floor. There is the sound of air bubbles being released and a small, four-legged creature swims into view. It appears to be wearing clothes. As it floats past, it turns and digs something up from the ocean floor and quickly swallows it. It continues to swim around, surveying the ocean floor. It stops and puts something from each of its two hands into its mouth and swallows again. A small, colorful banded fish swims nearby. The clothed creature studies a group of nearby rocks and spots something on one of them. It brushes the object off the rock and makes a satisfied sound as it puts it into its mouth. The banded fish swims directly infront of the creature and is swiftly eaten by it, without use of its hands. The creature chortles. It then turns its face up and swiftly pushes towards the surface where a large rectangular object is floating. Its head breaks the surface right beside the floating object.
D'Argo: "I've gotcha." He leans over the edge of the raft like boat and grabs Rygel by the back of his shirt and hauls him on board.
Rygel gasps.
Rygel: "Oh!"
D'Argo picks him up and carries him unceremoniously across the boat and deposits him on a seat.
Rygel: "Thank you... ever so... for your kind assistance."
Noranti immediately starts to wrap Rygel up with a blanket. There are three other humanoids on the boat. They are dressed in brown robes. At least one of them appears to be holding a gun or rifle.
D'Argo: "Always anxious to lend a hand to a dominar." He stands, looking down at Rygel.
Rygel: "So often I've proclaimed having a bellyful of Crichton and Aeryn. Never thought it would be so literal... uhh!" Rygel groans and his insides make a loud rumbling noise. He leans forward vomits a huge amount of water and debris into a container as Noranti helps to hold him steady. D'Argo grimaces. Rygel coughs.
One of the aliens asks: "What did you call their species again?"
Noranti pulls a piece of debris from the container and tastes it. Spitting it out of her mouth she holds it out to the alien: "This is Crichton. He's called a hoo-man." She sets the particle down on a pile of debris. She takes another piece and holds it up: "And Aeryn..." Noranti tastes the particle and spits it out. "... Sebacean. Definately Sebacean." She sets the second particle on another pile.
D'Argo: "Rygel... do you have all the pieces?"
Rygel: "From under every rock, every crevice. I sifted the bottom sand with my bare hands. Look at my nails!" He holds his hand up. Noranti continues to sift through the vomited particles.
One of the aliens stands under the boat's canopy, at a control panel. He turns towards the other aliens: "Caa'ta, the Leviathan ship has returned. Their transport pod is approaching."
Caa'ta: "Order the concealment canopy lowered." He walks over to join the other alien at the controls.
The boat speeds up and heads towards a gigantic flowing bubble on the sea. The bubble quickly dissipates to reveal an island city. Overhead, a transport pod descends through the atmosphere, also heading towards the city.
Near the ringed planet, many armed vessels fly in formation.
Inside a Peacekeeper vessel, Captain Miklo Braca walks into a room where Sikozu is holding a cloak, apparently for Scorpius who stands across the room, staring at a view screen.
Captain Braca: "Sir. Another deep space contact from Peacekeeper Strategic Command." He walks briskly over to stand near Scorpius. "Grand Chancellor Maryk... again."
Scorpius sighs and takes a last look at the view. He turns around, shakes his head and activates a control on the desk in front of him.
Scorpius: "Grand Chancellor."
A voice screams out of the comm system...
Grand Chancellor Maryk: "Where the hezmana... in my orders did you find the phrase..."
Aboard his vessel, the Grand Chancellor paces as he yells at Scorpius: "... preemptive attack?!"
Scorpius: "The Scarrans are massing for an impending onslaught we all know is coming."
Grand Chancellor Maryk sighs.
Scoprius: "A conflict we are ill-situated to win. By challenging them before they are prepared, at least we have a fighting chance."
Maryk: "You were sent there to gather surveillance, and then..."
Scorpius interrupts him: "With all due respect, Sir, I was sent here.. to perish at the vanguard of this inevitable conflict. I simply refuse to participate on their terms... or yours."
Maryk: "Because of your actions, the Scarran empire has declared war against us. Do you know what that means, Scorpius? We are now officially engaged in the last war of our era! Congratulations."
D'Argo hurries along, followed by several brown-robed aliens. There are mountains behind him and several tall buildings with spires. He is walking along beside a waterway. His long red coat sways in the breeze. Ahead of him, a transport pod lands. As the ladder descends, D'Argo breaks into a run. He stops and looks expectantly up at the hatchway. Chiana hops down several steps.
Chiana: "D'Argo!" She leaps off the stairs altogether.
D'Argo cries: "Chiana!" as he catches her in his arms. He hugs her and she throws her head back, laughing. Her arms are clasped around his neck.
D'Argo: "Your eyes?"
Chiana: "I can see again, D'Argo."
The three brown-robed aliens stand nearby, watching. Two of them are holding rifles.
D'Argo: "What happened? How?"
Chiana: "He gave me new... new eyes." She points to her eyes with two of her fingers. Her eyes now have irises that run verically.
Stark exits the transport pod and starts down the stairs.
Stark: "We found one, yes." He hurries over to D'Argo and Chiana.
Chiana: "Stark and I found a Diagnosan."
There is a throaty gasp from inside the pod, and suddenly a Diagnosan tumbles down the stairs and lands on the ground with a loud hiccup.
D'Argo points to the fallen medic: "What's wrong with him?"
His question is answered by a familiar voice.
Grunchlk: "Nothing's wrong with him." He laughs: "He's fine."
D'Argo: "Grunchlk. I thought you were dea..."
Grunchlk interrupts: "Dead? Me?" He twirls the ends of his mustaches:"Hardly at all. Hah!"
There are many people in the streets of the city. Inside one of the larger buildings, there are several of the aliens with rifles. Chiana sits on top of a table, with D'Argo and Grunchlk standing, talking to her. There is a large pool in the center of the room, filled with green water and waving plants. There is some kind of a device with a hood and bright, reddish lights, near the pool. The Diagnosan stands by the device, talking in his own language and making movements in a suspension of particles that appear to be coming out of something he is holding in his hand. Noranti hurries over to him.
Noranti: "Those crystals are people's lives."
The Diagnosan hiccups... twice.
Noranti: "Stop waving that thing around." She stands next to the Diagnosan.
D'Argo looks over at them: "This had better work."
Grunchlk: "You're lucky to have him, mate." He walks over and pats the Diagnosan on the shoulder. "Diagnosans, they're at a premium, especially now that there's a war on."
D'Argo: "What war?"
Chiana: "The Peacekeepers and the Scarrans declared war against each other."
D'Argo: "Do the Peacekeepers know what they're getting into?"
Grunchlk: "The Scarrans didn't give 'em much choice. Hah! They were already taking the galaxy by force... system by system." He laughs.
D'Argo: "A galaxy-wide war."
There is a fire-fight taking place in space. Several small ships are flying towards and shooting at a larger one. There are several explosions.
Peacekeeper: "The Scarran vanguard has breached our defense perimeter."
Sikozu looks at a control panel: "We've drawn them in sufficiently. The trap is set."
Scorpius comms: "Captain... initiate the plan exactly as I instructed."
Captain Braca is strapped into a flight harness and wears headgear. He comms: "All pilots deactivate targeting and flight systems."
Another voice answers: "Copy that."
Braca: "We fly manual from here."
A group of Peacekeeper prowlers fly beside a large vessel.
Sikozu comms: "Fly straight in. Their targeting telemetrics will be corrupted at least two degrees off-center by the ambient magnetics. You dare them to hit you."
Braca: "So, Red team... you're close to my left flank. Blue team, on right. Upon signal, execute tiered attack on lead Scarran dreadnought. Confirm."
There is more gunfire as many small ships attack a larger vessel.
Peacekeeper: "All armada ships now taking heavy fire, Sir."
Scorpius: "Only for the moment. Stay positioned."
Captain Braca stares intently ahead, his face being lit by the glow from the battle: "And... fire!"
The prowlers begin firing at the square upper structure of a Scarran dreadnought. They score multiple hits and there are several small explosions, followed by a much larger one.
One of the aliens plugs in some thick wires and there are a lot of sparks. The device the Diagnosan was spewing particles into begins to hum. A brilliant light begins to travel from the base of the device upwards, around the suspended particles. Everyone in the room stands watching as the hum's pitch goes higher and the particles begin to coalesce. At first they look like two rounded humps, but shape continues to develop until the humps start to look like John and Aeryn sitting and hugging each other. They are kissing and have their eyes closed. Slowly they draw away from the kiss and open their eyes. They look at each other. D'Argo sighs in relief. John and Aeryn both turn their heads, just enough to notice that they are surrounded by people and they both reach down and pull their pulse pistols, bringing them up and pointing them out at the onlookers. The Diagnosan immediately throws his hands up in the air. The armed aliens bring their rifles up and point them at John and Aeryn.
Caa'ta: "Lower your weapons."
D'Argo: "Hoo... "
John: "How long?"
D'Argo: "About sixty solar days."
Aeryn: "Where?"
Chiana: "Still on the water planet."
Aeryn carefully climbs off John's lap and gets out of the device. She points her pulse pistol at the aliens. John gets to his feet and does the same.
Caa'ta: "Put your weapons down now."
John: "Bad guys?"
D'Argo: "Yes and no. They did help us put you back together."
Aeryn: "Put us back together?"
Chiana: "They said it was an accident. You were crystalized."
John and Aeryn, in unison: "Crystalized?"
Caa'ta: "Last warning."
D'Argo gestures upwards with his head.
John and Aeryn stand with their weapons aimed for a few more microts, then they both uncocked their weapons and point them up and away from the aliens. Two of the armed aliens step over and take the pulse pistols from them.
John puts his hands in the air and turns to Aeryn: "You said yes."
Aeryn looks over at him: "I did?"
The aliens push their rifles into John and Aeryn's backs, prompting them to move.
John: "Sixty days... any regrets?"
Aeryn: "No... it's going really well."
John looks back at his friends as he is guided away: "Hey! We're gonna get married!"
D'Argo and Chiana, in unison: "Congratulations!"
Captain Braca's excited voice interrupts Scorpius' thoughts.
Braca: "Sir... you were absolutely correct. Their pilots and gunners were no match for ours."
Scorpius holds up his hand to silence him. Braca stops and stands at parade rest, a huge smile on his face.
Sikozu: "Scorpius?"
Scorpius: "Prepare to withdraw?"
Braca: "What!?"
Scorpius still has his back to Captain Braca and Sikozu: "The rest of the armada... is to continue to engage the enemy, covering our escape."
Braca: "But, Sir... we're winning."
Sikozu: "Without this carrier, all remaining units..."
Scorpius: "My orders are clear." He turns and walks past both of them, stopping at a small pedestal table nearby. Braca follows him.
Braca: "Sir... you're asking us to withdraw our troops, our ships, our..."
Scorpius reaches out and grabs Braca by the throat, effectively cutting off any more protests. He growls, barely intelligibly: "Yes, that's it!"
He releases Braca.
Captain Braca turns away from Scorpius, towards the other Peacekeepers in the room: "Plot an escape route. Close hangers. Rig for maximum speed."
Scorpius steps away from the table and walks back towards Sikozu.
Scorpius: "He is alive, Sikozu."
Scorpius puts his hands on Sikozu's waist, picks her up and sits her on a table in front of him: "John Crichton is alive."
The alien, Caa'ta stands behind John Crichton who is facing a female alien.
Caa'ta: "One more time. Begin again."
John: "Fine. For the eighty-nineth time."
John goes and gets a stool and sits down. He is facing a wire grid, similar to a duct cover, with a honeycomb mesh. "Once upon a time, there was a boy named John. And John was an astronaut."
The space shuttle rockets fire, sending it soaring into the sky.
"He lived in a far away place called Earth..."
The shuttle's cargo bay opens and the Farscape One module is brought out on a long metal arm.
"... which is so far away you've never heard of it."
The rockets on the module fire and it flies away from the shuttle, leaving a flaming trail in its wake.
"One day, when John was out doing astonaut things..."
John sits in the cockpit of the module, wearing his IASA flight helmet. Suddenly, the module hits some sort of wave front and is tossed sideways.
"... a big, blue wormhole gobbled him up and spat him out at the far end of the Universe."
The module travels through a wormhole. John is tossed around inside. Just as suddenly as it went in, the module exits the wormhole into the middle of an armed conflict. Behind him, the wormhole winks closed and is gone.
"Things were looking grim in Mudville..."
John comms: "Canaveral?"
The module flies towards a gigantic ship.
"... til our hero met an amazing living ship..."
D'Argo growls at John while picking him up by his throat. Rygel spits black goo in his face. Aeryn removes her flight suit helmet and shakes out her braid.
"... made some nice new friends and he hooked up with his dream girl."
Aeryn grabs John, slams him against a bulkhead then throws him to the floor. Several black-suited soldiers march past.
"We could have lived happily ever after, but the Peacekeepers raped..."
John is lying on his stomach with his hands tied, outspread, while Commandant Grayza bends over him, touching him.
"... chased..."
A hand pushes a control knob upwards. In the Aurora Chair, John screams. Scorpius looks on.
"... and tortured us for years on end."
Crais: "Fire" A ship fires several shots, striking Moya.
John stands up while he talks, pacing and scratching his head: "Then, two months ago, we got our asses shot off again. This time it was the Scarrans.
The Scarran Emperor Staleek growls quietly.
"Big reptiles." John wiggles his hands up and down: "Woo-oo-oo. And Moya, our living ship, limped her way to your happy planet for a little R and R because we figure, it's empty. Hey, no one is gonna bother us."
John and Aeryn are in a row boat on a very blue lake or sea. John stands up and throws his arms in the air and shouts: "We're gonna have a baby!" Facing Aeryn, he asks: "Will you marry me?" Aeryn nods her head and whispers: "Yes."
John continues to pace: "Next thing me and the future Mrs. Crichton are having a private moment when you guys fly by..."
Sitting in the boat, John and Aeryn look up as a ship turns and flies directly towards them.
"... Boom, ba-bing..."
They hug and kiss as the ship fires some sort of missle at them. The two begin to melt into each other.
"... squiggly line, squiggly line..."
The ship continues past as the figures of John and Aeryn crumble and fall apart into thousands of pieces.
"... crystallized. And, it's two months later."
John stops talking and puts his hands on his hips. The aliens all turn and look around at each other.
John: "What?"
Grand Chancellor Maryk: "Retreating." He walks into a room, followed by another Peacekeeper.
Peacekeeper: "Scorpius has powered off his onboard beacon. We have no way of tracking him."
Maryk: "Broadcast this order... highest priority. The instant his Command Carrier is spotted, it is to be fired upon. No hailing. no offer to surrender. I want this coward Scorpius and all who fly with him erased from existence!"
Peacekeeper: "Aye, Chancellor."
A very pregnant Commandant Grayza walks into view.
Grayza speaks to Maryk's back: "Scorpius is many things, Maryk, none of them good. But a coward? Never."
Maryk turns around to face her: "He has initiated this war and then turned and run. How do you define cowardice, Grayza?"
Commandant Grayza clasps her hands in front of her, in a prayful attitude. She steps towards Maryk.
Grayza: "Grand Chancellor... please... consider my counsel on this carefully. Hatred of the Scarrans is Scorpius' sole consistent trait. There is something else."
Maryk: "Perhaps... but my orders stand." Maryk turns and walks away.
Aeryn is lying on some sort of bed or table. The Diagnosan is standing over her, while John kneels beside her, peering into her face. Grunchlk stands off to the side with his back to them, appearing not to listen while he surreptitiously picks up coins from a pile and puts them into his pocket.
John: "Funny how?"
Aeryn: "Different."
John: "Different how? Like ice cream cucumber different?"
Aeryn: "I don't know. That's why I'm here."
John: "All right. Everything... is gonna be okay."
The Diagnosan holds an instrument near Aeryn. It has a blue neon light and makes frequent high-pitched beeping noises.
John: "Do you know why?"
Aeryn turns her head to look at him.
John: "Because we're done. We're checkin out... finito. Next Ferengi we see, we run. No questions later. From this moment on, my one concern, my life, is you and our baby."
As he talks, Aeryn touches his chin with her finger. John grins and gently nibbles her fingertip. Aeryn smiles.
The Diagnosan's instrument makes a "winding down" sound and the Diagnosan speaks quickly in his language to Grunchlk.
Grunchlk coughs and covers his mouth with his hand, to disguise his returning something of value to the pile he had been pilfering from. He turns around and looks over at John, Aeryn and the Diagnosan.
Grunchlk: "Are you sure?"
The Diagnosan spreads his hands: "Gos mosska."
Aeryn sits up: "What?"
John: "Whaa.. everything all right? She all right? The baby all right?"
Aeryn sits on the edge of the table looking intently at the Diagnosan. John looks at Grunchlk.
Grunchlk: "Doc says he doesn't know what you're talking about. There is no baby."
Aeryn: "What?" She spins back towards the Diagnosan and jumps off the bed.
John: "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... wha'da mean no baby?"
Aeryn presses towards the Diagnosan who backs away. Grunchlk leans over and grabs her hand to pull her back.
Grunchlk: "Uh..." He gestures with his hand: "If there was a little passenger before... it ain't aboard the train no more."
The Diagnosan holds up his finger and shakes his head: "Posa doo, brrrrt."
Grunchlk: "Doc says you... never were preggers."
Aeryn: "I was."
John: "She was. Sh... she was preg... " He leans past Grunchlk to see Aeryn: "You were pregnant?"
Aeryn: "I was pregnant!" She grabs the blue-lighted instrument from the Diagnosan's hand.
Grunchlk: "There is no baby. No nothing." He crosses his arms and flings them out to his sides.
John: "Whoa!" He waves his hands in front of Grunchlk's face and hurries over to Aeryn. He takes her hands in his: "We were in pieces... thousands of pieces..."
D'Argo is sitting down, eating.
D'Argo: "Rygel said that he got every single piece off the ocean floor."
Aeryn and John are standing and watching him.
Aeryn: "Rygel?"
D'Argo: "He was very thorough. We made sure of it. Even carried the pieces up in his stomachs to make sure he didn't drop."
Aeryn and John turn and hurry away.
Rygel is lying down on the table. Aeryn, John and Grunchlk are clustered around as the Diagnosan examines him.
Grunchlk: "Congratulations, mate. You... are a mother!"
John: "Oh, no!" He buries his face in his hands.
Grunchlk: "It's all right. The wee babe is doing just fine." He reaches out and gently pats Rygel's stomach.
Rygel: "Yes, but it's doing just fine inside me!"
John: "This is not happening."
Aeryn grabs the Diagnosan by the shoulders and turns him to face her: "Do something!"
Grunchlk: "Hands off, missy." He reaches for Aeryn's arm.
John grabs Grunchlk's arm and stops him: "Ho... whoa."
Grunchlk: "The fee... the fee is going up."
John: "You take it out of him and you put it back in her."
Aeryn: "Whatever it takes."
Diagnosan: "Whaa garat Ry-jel, guse varas gute."
Grunchlk: "Doc won't do it."
Rygel is still lying on the table: "Won't? I want this thing removed immediately."
John lets go of Grunchlk so he can put his face next to Rygel's: "It's not... a thing."
Rygel: "Fine. I want this miracle of life the frell out of me."
Diagnosan: "Varas gute varismmm."
Grunchlk: "Alright. At the end of the first quadmester. The baby's too small now. Fragile. Ecck." He makes a cutting motion across his throat."
Rygel gasps: "First quadmester? Get me a drink! Oh!"
In an area bustling with busy aliens, Chiana hurries over to where Rygels sits at a table with Aeryn, John and D'Argo.
Chiana: "Hey, Princess! The narl's in your stomach? Drad. What does it feel like?"
She hunkers down over the table, leaning towards Rygel.
Rygel: "You tell me." He grunts and stabs Chiana's hand with his fork. Chiana screams and pulls back. Aeryn grabs Rygels arm and holds on. "Hey!"
Chiana: "Frell. Rygel!"
Noranti walks over to the table, carrying a plate.
Rygel: "Weeber eggs? I hate them."
Aeryn: "Well, apparently babies love them." She moves the plate over, closer to Rygel. "Seriously, Rygel, what does it really feel like?"
Rygel: "Like having a parasite... a large parasite... that's growing."
A male alien comes over with more dishes. He elbows Noranti out of the way to set them down. As he does, he glares at John, then hurries away. Stark comes over to the table and kneels between Noranti and John.
John: "Okay... what did we do to piss off the locals?"
D'Argo: "They're paranoid."
Stark: "No, wrong. Not paranoid. I've been talking to many of them."
Rygel: "Stark... our ambassador? No wonder they're avoiding us."
Chiana: "So, what's their problem then?"
Stark: "Fear. Abject fear."
Noranti: "Of what?"
Stark: "Their fear extends to the point of not talking about their fear."
D'Argo: "Perfect. Well... let's not exacerbate it by staying any longer."
Chiana stares at a nearby alien guard. He is holding a weapon that appears to her eyes to pulse in waves.
John: "D'Argo... beyond that concealment canopy is armageddon. Do we really want to fly into that right now?"
Chiana finally manages to pull her eyes away from the pulsing weapon. She shakes her head and blinks.
D'Argo: "I'll ask 'em if we can stay. They're not gonna like it." He walks away.
Stark likes up at John: "So, what should we do in the meantime?"
John continues chewing for a microt. He swallows: "We get married."
Aeryn: "What?!"
John grins: "Now."
Noranti: "You will make a beautiful bride. I will see to it."
Aeryn smiles a tiny smile.
There are many, many ships flying together in a battle group. In the center is one that is shaped differently from the others, with points coming out past the front. Inside...
War Minister Ahkna: "Emperor Staleek."
Staleek: "What is it?"
Ahkna: "We have received a deep space com cipher."
Staleek: "We receive tens of thousands."
Ahkna: "This is from a most unexpected source... with a most unexpected message. It is about John Crichton."
The Emperor sits on his throne and listens.
Ahkna: "The sender knows the human's current location... an out-of-the-way water planet. No defenses to speak of."
Staleek: "Do the Peacekeepers have him?"
Ahkna: "Not yet."
Staleek: "Your source... is it reliable?"
Ahkna: "At the moment... impeccable."
Staleek: "Have a course plotted. We will send a full battle contingent."
Ahkna: "A full contingent for one man?"
Staleek: "Not for the man... for the knowledge he possesses."
War Minister Ahkna nods and turns away.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
Everyone is outside. D'Argo is standing and hitting his hands together as he waits. Chiana smacks Rygel and grabs a piece of fruit away from him. She puts it back in an arrangement on a table.
John is walking with the aliens' head woman. They are followed by the brown-robed alien, Caa'ta, carrying a rifle.
John: "It's very generous of you to do this for us."
Head woman: "It is the first time I have presided over the union of soldiers."
John: "We're not soldiers." He points backwards, over his shoulder at Caa'ta while still walking. "In fact, he's the only one carrying a gun."
Caa'ta: "Either way, your petition to remain among us has been denied. On conclusion of your ceremony, you will all leave."
John: "Right." He and the Head woman have stopped and John looks all around. He ends looking over the Head Woman's shoulder, at Caa'ta.
John looks down at the Head woman: "If you don't mind my asking... who are you hiding from?"
Head woman: "Everyone."
From a doorway behind John, Stark jumps up and down and exclaims: "Aeryn's coming!" He runs out towards John: "The bride! The bride!"
John hurries away from the Head woman: "D!" He goes to D'Argo and grabs his hand to pull him into position.
D'Argo: "Oh. Uh!"
John: "Come on!"
D'Argo: "Okay." He goes with John to stand facing the doorway. "Are you relaxed?"
John: "I am relaxed."
D'Argo: "I'm relaxed. I've heard the key to these things is being relaxed."
John: "I am relaxed." He pushed D'Argo past him and tries to position him correctly.
John: "Stand here. Stay."
Chiana hurries over: "Wha... wha... what about me?"
John pushes her over to his other side: "You're right here. Good."
Chiana strikes a pose: "Okay. Perfect."
John stands in the middle, between Chiana and D'Argo. Stark hovers directly behind him. John exhales loudly and takes a quick look all around. He spots Stark: "What are you doing? No. No." He shoves Stark backwards.
Chiana looks at him: "Stark!"
John turns back towards the doorway and smiles. Noranti has come outside and is throwing petals from a hat in front of Aeryn who walks slowly behind her. Aeryn is dressed all in black but has a red flower with long green leaves in her hair, by her right ear.
Stark breathes: "Oh... she looks so..."
Aeryn looks from side to side.
D'Argo: "Beautiful."
Aeryn walks up to the grinning John. He looks down at her.
John: "You look great."
Aeryn: "You owe me."
John: "I know."
They both turn to face the Head woman as she asks: "Is there a.. particular invocation you would like me to use?"
John looks at her. He clasps his hands together loudly: "Yeah, um... " He laughs a little, nervously and glances over at Chiana: "Dearly beloved..."
Chiana claps her hands once and smiles.
Head woman: "Dearly beloved."
John: "We are... gathered here..."
Head woman: "We are gathered here."
John:"Beneath this magnificent..." His voice trails off as he looks overhead.
Aeryn turns and looks up as well.
Aeryn: "Command carrier."
A large Peacekeeper vessel breaks into view above the concealment canopy.
An alien yells: "Take cover in the temple!"
D'Argo: "Peacekeepers." He hurries away from his exposed position.
The Command Carrier continues to move over head, blocking out the sun and casting a dark shadow over everyone and everything.
Caa'ta: "Lies. All lies."
Head woman: "They seem to know exactly where we are! How? If the concealment canopy is still in place?"
Caa'ta: "They know because we have been betrayed." He pushed the gasping Head woman ahead of him, towards the temple.
John grabs Stark and points towards Caa'ta and the Head woman: "Stark! Go with them." He signals to Noranti with his hand: "Witchipoo... you go as well." He pushes her towards Stark.
Noranti: "What should we do?"
John: "Convince them it's not our fault!"
Aeryn takes Chiana's arm: "Hide Rygel. Guard him with your life."
Chiana leaves, looking up at the Command Carrier as she climbs over a short wall. A smaller ship exits the Command Carrier, flying towards the planet.
Stark and Noranti hurry after a line of brown-robed aliens.
Stark: "It's not our fault. It's not our fault. It's not our fault. We knew nothing about this."
One of the aliens grabs him by the shoulder and pushes him down. He ducks under a wall.
Stark: "Crichton will fix this. He'll fix it, I assure you."
Caa'ta: "Come on, old woman." He gestures to Noranti.
Noranti has stopped and looks up at a large symbol on the wall: "Now, that's familiar. Why do I know that?"
Caa'ta: "Now!"
He grabs Noranti and drags her away from the wall.
Noranti: "Oh!"
She ducks under the wall as well and follows the aliens into another room. She stops again and looks up. Light is streaming into the room through long windows on the walls. There are many white-robed aliens here, with the brown-robed ones.
Noranti: "Eidelons. Of course, Eidelons." She gasps and twirls around, coming over to the headwoman alien.
Noranti: "Eidelons. You're Eidelons."
Headwoman: "Yes, we are."
With a flash of blue from three landing jets, the small ship lands on the planet. John, Aeryn and D'Argo are outside, waiting for whomever is arriving. The ship kicks up a wind that blows things around.
John has to talk over the sound of the engines: "You know who it's gonna be, don'tcha?"
D'Argo: "I know who it is."
John glances at Aeryn, then back at D'Argo: "Bet me." He rubs his fingers together: "Come on, D. Bet me. How much?"
D'Argo: "You're on your own, my friend."
A rectangular door slides open in one of the ships landing legs.
Scorpius and Sikozu stand just inside the door.
Scorpius: "Hello, John!"
He and Sikozu step out of the ship and walk towards John, D'Argo and Aeryn.
John: "Easy money."
Scorpius: "Apologies if this is a bad time but, I believe we need to talk."
John: "How'd you find me?"
Scorpius points to his forehead and then flicks his finger towards John.
John grimaces and shakes his head.
John is sitting down holding a cup in one hand and a saucer in the other. He spits some liquid and looks at the items in his hands.
John: "Harvey?"
Harvey, clad in a black frock coat, white shirt, black tie and grey vest, with a greyish-blonde wig perched on his head, stands at a double blackboard holding a piece of chalk in his hand. There are scribbled letters and numbers written all over the board and a photograph of Albert Einstein hangs above it.
Harvey, speaking in a german accent: "I vould prefer to be called Albert." He points to the photograph above the board.
John puts his hand on the chair arm, preparing to stand up: "No. Invisible sidekicks that only I talk to get called Harvey. How the hell did Scorpius find me?"
Harvey starts to write on the chalkboard: "Scorpious... is... like... god." He makes a large star on the board. "He does not play dice with zee universe."
Harvey turns around and walks towards John. They are in a large room with a dining table, a couch, chairs and several tall windows on one side. There is a lighted chandelier hanging overhead.
Harvey: " He has a great plan, John... but his... mysteries unfold slowly."
John sits, leaning back in his chair with his feet up on a hassock, legs crossed at the ankles.
Harvey: "Perhaps they will be answered when the proper tribute is provided to him..."
Harvey walks back to the chalkboard. John taps a finger on the toe of one boot.
Harvey uses the chalk to swirl the writing on the blackboard: "... za wormhole."
The image on the blackboard changes from chalk writing to a wormhole.
Harvey backs away from the board: "But in your case..." He hold his arm out in a Nazi style salute towards the chalkboard: "Da vormhole veapon!"
There is an explosion behind the blackboard and the wormhole blasts something apart.
Harvey: "Yii..aii!" He uses his left hand to force the right arm down, out of the salute. He grimaces.
John gets up out of his chair: "Listen up, Strangelove." He walks towards Harvey: "I can find wormholes, sense when they will open. Push comes to shove, I can even navigate one." He takes the chalk from Harvey and walks over to the blackboard.
John uses the chalk to draw a huge X across both boards. As he does, the wormhole "video" that is showing behind the board disappears and the chalkboard reappears. All the writing on it has been erased.
John, talking as his draws his X: " But I cannot... make... a wormhole... weapon!"
He turns to face Harvey.
Harvey holds up his hand and gestures to make his point: "That is true, John, but you do know where to obtain the knowledge. Doesn't take an Einschtein to figger that out, huh?" He walks back towards the table.
John turns back to the blackboard and writes on it in huge letters. Harvey watches him. His mouth drops open. Around the back of Harvey's head it is possible to see some of what John is writing. John walks over to Harvey and hands him the piece of chalk.
John: "Make sure he gets that message." John walks away.
Harvey stares at the chalkboard. From behind him, we can read "F" "U" Harvey's head, "OFF" Harvey puts his hand on his hip and sighs: "Yes".
There is a flashing sound...
John stands alone with his back to a stone column. Scorpius walks between two columns, towards John.
Scorpius: "So... how've you been, Crichton?"
John: "I'm good, Bob. You? The wife? The kids?"
Scorpius: "Busy"
John steps away from the column and walks away, keeping his back to Scorpius: "Yah, I hear business is boomin."
Scorpius pushs off from his column and follows John: "You're right. The Scarrans and Peacekeepers are at war, and the Scarrans will prevail unless... you help us build a wormhole weapon."
John stops walking and hops over a low sill, turning back to face Scorpius: "Gee, that all sounds reasonable, Bob, (he grunts as he goes over the sill). Only two problems. No matter what you may believe, I can't do it. And, just as important, I don't think the Peacekeepers are any better than the Scarrans, so make sure you validate your parking... (he taps on a column three times) on the way out." He turns and walks away.
Scorpius calls after him: "You wil find no serenity during this conflict, Crichton. Examine your choices."
John stops and puts his hand out, against a column: "You are not listening." He turns and walks back towards Scorpius: "Wormholes, no. Weapons, no. Killing, no. Crichton, no."
There is a flashing sound...
Inside Moya, John Crichton lies on a table. He is partially covered with a cloth and there are large lights stands surrounding him like spotlights. He is wearing a dark colored (green?) t-shirt.
John's voice echos over the scene: "You want to see it? The thing you've been chasing my ass all over the universe for?"
Moya's Command is empty looking and there are flashes of flames as electrical circuits burn out.
"... torturing me, my wife, my friends for? You want to see it?"
Scorpius' voice: "Yes."
John's voice: "Say please."
Scorpius' voice: "Please."
John's voice: "Pretty please."
Scorpius' voice: "Pretty please."
John's voice: "With cherry on top."
Scorpius' voice: "With cherry on top."
John lies perfectly still. His eyes are open and staring. His face and neck have traces of blood on them.
John's voice: "Happy birthday. Now get out of my sight."
Flash...
As Ka D'Argo walks quickly through the temple building, a grated doorway begins to open. As it does, Stark calls out to him.
Stark: "D'Argo! D'Argo! A miracle! Eidelons! Jool! Arnessk! Peace!" he screams, waving his arms in punctuation.
D'Argo calmly enters the room and tongues Stark who falls silent to the floor. A brown-robed alien stands holding a rifle, behind Stark.
Noranti hurries towards D'Argo.
D'Argo: "Okay. What's he talking about?"
Noranti: "Eidelons! Jool! Arnessk! Peace!" She waves her arms around as well.
D'Argo waves her aside: "Yah. Thank you."
The female alien walks into the room, followed by Caa'ta. D'Argo looks at her.
D'Argo: "Please."
The female alien walks up to D'Argo and they begin to walk side by side.
Female Alien:"We are the last Eidelons. All the others hunted to extinction."
D'Argo: "Hunted?"
Female Alien: "Our ancestors possessed the means to influence peace, a gift that sadly has not survived to our generation."
D'Argo: "I am familiar with the history."
Caa'ta: "Then you would also know that twelve thousand cycles ago the great temple was destroyed, the conciliators were then murdered and all outposts of our species slaughtered."
Female Alien: "Arnessk was the center of our spiritual power... the site of the long, lost great temple, upon which this very edifice is modeled. However, today Arnessk is a barren and lifeless world."
D'Argo: "Perhaps not. We've been there."
Moya hangs in space above the planet. Scorpius' Command Carrier hovers over her. Aboard Moya...
Pilot: "These images are part of the data upload transmitted by Jool before we left her on Arnessk. I have more in the archives, if you require."
Noranti stands in front of a projection of the great temple of Arnessk. John and Aeryn are watching.
Noranti: "Undoubtedly you will recall..." She looks over at Aeryn: "Except not you, because you weren't there."
Aeryn looks up... startled."
Noranti: "It was right after Crichton realized that he loved you more than anything and you were as frizbot as a scalded ghinka cat, and you..."
John holds his finger up to his lips: "Eh... shh!"
Noranti: "Huh?"
John points to the hologram with his finger: "Hmm."
Noranti: "Oh. Arnessk." She hurries back over to the display, which now shows two male alien figures.
Noranti: "These ancient Eidelons were not long dead, as everyone assumed... just suspended in time for twelve thousand cycles. And, when we reversed the device that was holding them... back they came into existence." Noranti turns to John and Aeryn with a big smile.
John leans towards Aeryn: "Yah... right after I went swimming with the creature from the Black Lagoon."
Aeryn: "That sounds exciting."
John: "Yah."
Noranti: "There is no doubt that today's Eidelons are a direct descendent of the ancient, peacemaking Eidelons of Arnessk."
John nods: "And?"
Noranti: "Well... they have a unique ability tied to their physiology, which is latent in our host Eidelons. Why can't their ancestors reignite that ability, thus re-creating... the greatest peacemaking race in history?"
On the planet...
John and Aeryn walk quickly past a market of some kind.
John: "Am I going insane... or is the crazy lady starting to make sense?"
Aeryn: "Yes, but I thought we were finished."
John: "So did I."
Aeryn: "What happened to 'run first, no questions later'?"
John: "Scorpius. We wake up and he finds us before we have our first cup of coffee."
Aeryn: "This is not our fight."
John: "I agree. But, as long as there's a war on, everybody's after me, cause I'm the winner-take-all weapon guy."
They stop walking, near a well or fountain. Aeryn leans on the lip of the fountain.
Aeryn: You know... everytime we get involved..."
John: "I know... people die."
Aeryn: "We out of options?"
John looks at Aeryn and sighs: "This... Eidelon education program... what are the odds it'll work?"
Aeryn: "Not good."
John: "Not good is the best odds we ever get."
John tosses something he has pulled off a small bush into the water and walks away.
A transport pod flies towards Moya. Scorpius' Command Carrier continues to hang above her, in space.
The female alien walks beside D'Argo, through Moya.
Female Alien: "The most exciting aspect is the possibilty of learning how to influence peace in others."
D'Argo: "Noble aspiration, High Priestess."
High Priestess: "We have discussed it amongst ourselves and would be most appreciative if you would transport Pikal and Caa'ta to Arnessk for an introductory delegation."
They have entered Pilot's chamber and stop in front of him.
D'Argo: "But we can take many more."
Another, younger male alien speaks up.
Pikal: "As I have repeatedly said."
Caa'ta walks past Pikal to confront D'Argo: "Centuries of hiding do not melt away suddenly, Pikal. We remain... skeptical about your motives."
D'Argo: "And that's just on our side." He laughs... alone.
Pilot groans.
The High Priestess approaches Pilot: "I know a little something of Leviathans and their symbiotic pilots... peaceful to a fault, if I recall."
Pilot: "To Moya or myself, violence is less than an option."
High Priestess: "Then I have a simple query. These beings that you ferry... do you trust them?"
Pilot: "Implicitly."
High Priestess: "Then I entrust Caa'ta and Pikal to your care."
Pilot closes his eyes and bows his head.
On the planet...
The diagnosan and Noranti are working on a piece of tubular equipment while Grunchlk looks on. The diagnosan speaks rapidly in his language.
Grunchlk comes out from behind the Diagnosan to translate for Aeryn who is leaning on the end of the work table.
Grunchlk: "Tissue transferal condutor."
Grunchlk comes over to Aeryn: "Uhh... the doc hasn't got all the bits, but... eh... you'll probably find everything you need on your ship and the doctor will give you detailed instructions."
Aeryn: "That's unacceptable. He's coming with us."
Grunchlk: "Ah, no... I'm sorry. The doctor and I do not travel into Peacekeeper territory. We have some previous issues with them."
The Diagnosan shakes his head, no.
Noranti holds the device: "Aeryn... this is a relatively simple procedure."
Aeryn: "My baby... is in a Hynerian. It's nowhere near simple."
Noranti: "Of course it is." She carries the device around the table and brings it to Aeryn.
Noranti: "This part attaches to Rygel, the other part to you. Before you know it. the baby's transferred. So elegantly designed, anyone can use it. Good luck." She lays the device in Aeryn's outstretched hands.
Aeryn: "What? Where are you going?"
Noranti: "Not with you."
Aeryn: "Why not?"
Noranti: "These Eidelons have just absorbed a thunderbolt revelation. I know more about their ancient culture than they do. They can benefit from my instructions until you return." She ducks through a curtain and hurries away.
Aeryn looks at Grunchlk as she holds up one end of the device: "Can I... do it myself?"
Grunchlk: "Oh, uh..."
The Diagnosan says something in his language while shaking his head and a finger at Aeryn."
Grunchlk: "No."
Aeryn: "Right."
A small ship flies into Moya's hanger bay and lands. John hurries down a corridor and meets D'Argo who is following Scorpius and Sikozu out of the hanger bay.
John sighs and looks away as he waves a hand in Scorpius' direction: "What the hell is he doin here?"
Scorpius: "We were invited, John."
D'Argo: "Stay there." He hurries past them to stand next to John.
D'Argo: "I've thought this through, John. We need him."
John: "I don't like it."
D'Argo: "Well, blame me."
John: "I do blame you. I don't like it."
D'Argo: "Well, I don't like it either. But we are currently flying through Peacekeeper-controlled space during a war, and he is a Command Carrier Officer."
Scorpius: "Actually, my most recent commission... was Commander of a full Peacekeeper Armada."
John: "Uh-huh. Among other things."
D'Argo: "He knows all the current pass codes. I'll keep him away."
John: "I hope so." He shakes his head and starts to walk away, crossing behind Scorpius and Sikozu. John stops and comes up to Scorpius' shoulder: "Oh... Aeryn? Rygel? Off limits." He leaves.
Scorpius grimaces. D'Argo hisses and Scorpius and Sikozu start walking again. D'Argo waves his hand in front of a wall control and it beeps.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
A DRD scoots across the floor of Moya's Command. The door opens...
Pilot: "Good morning, Commander."
John and D'Argo walk onto Command.
John: "Morning, Pilot. Moya looks beautiful this morning. How much did you miss us?" He goes directly to a control station.
Pilot: "Ka D'Argo... we've received a message that appears to have been hailing for some time."
D'Argo goes to another control station: "First Arnessk."
Pilot: "I have enough of a fix that we can begin our journey. I'll refine the exact location from Moya's data banks as we grow closer."
D'Argo: "Excellent, Pilot. Proceed."
Pilot: "Umm... the message?"
John: "Yah, sure Pilot. Who is it?"
Pilot: "Apparently the Royal Palace of Hyneria... coming from someone named 'Bishan'."
D'Argo looks at John and grits his teeth.
Aeryn sits near Rygel who is watching a holographic transmission of another Hynerian.
Rygel: "What is really happening there, Bishan?"
Bishan: "It is this damned war. The Scarrans have already taken our outer territories. Millions are dead."
Rygel gasps.
Bishan: "You are a direct descendent of the royal lineage. If our people will unite under anyone, it will be under you. Cousin Rygel... you are welcome to return to Hyneria. You
must return."
The transmission ends and the image of Bishan fades away.
Rygel sighs: "If Bishan thinks I'll return to a shared throne, he is beyond deluded."
Aeryn laughs as she grabs Rygel's ear and pushes him over onto his side.
Rygel: "Oww."
Aeryn: "You're not going anywhere. You rest." She stands up.
Rygel: "Some mother you're going to make."
Aeryn stares down at him.
Pilot comms: "Shipwide announcement for our new guests. Prepare for starburst, people."
Pilot pushs some controls and the blue flames of starburst energy start building in the lowest tiers below him. The energy continues to build until is exits Moya's two-pronged tail and begins to envelope her whole body. With a flash, she is gone.
Stark: "Chiana? Chiana?"
Chiana is sitting in a room with the Eidelon, Pikal who appears to be meditating.
Chiana: "In here."
Stark staggers up to the doorway. When he sees Pikal, he falls to his hands and knees, gasping.
Stark: "Blessed Eidelon... may I enter the room and and sully your thoughts with my..."
Chiana jumps down from where she was sitting. She goes over to Stark and kicks him in the side.
Stark wheezes.
Chiana: "Enough!" She slaps him on the head.
Stark: "Uh! Oh!"
Chiana hunkers down beside Stark: "What is it exactly about these guys that makes you so fazbot?"
Stark, still on his hands and knees: "Are you serious? The Eidelons are remarkable negotiators."
Pikal turns around and looks at Chiana and Stark.
Chiana: "The Scarrans aren't going to be reasoned with."
Pikal: "But they will... if..."
Chiana: "If what?"
Pikal grimaces. He closes his eyes and brings his hands up, covering his face. As he brings his hands away, his face seperates into four seperate parts. Behind it are what appears to be several more eyes, one of them in the center, on a stalk.
Chiana breathes: "Frell."
Pikal's eyestalk waves around a bit.
Chiana: "Is he propositioning me?"
Stark looks up from his knees: "No. That's a very special gland."
Chiana stands up and takes a step closer to Pikal: "Small." She walks towards the Eidelon: "In a weird place."
Pikal brings his hands up to his face again and closes it.
Stark crawls towards the Eidelon: "It's an antenna to feelings... an inner eye. Am I right, Pikal?"
Pikal looks down at Stark and smiles: "Yes. And, our history leads us to believe, substantially more."
Chiana: "Oh.. it gets bigger?"
Pikal: "Not that we know. However, it vibrates."
Chiana: "Hmm." She looks at Stark.
Stark sort of rolls his eye at her.
Pikal: "We used to be able to create an energy field that had a calming effect on individuals, allowing them to see reason."
Chiana: "Yah, but your... your little limp thing... you can't do the trick anymore."
Pikal: "Unfortunately not."
Chiana: "Oh." She nods.
Rygel lies on his back on his bed, snoring loudly. Aeryn rests her chin on her crossed wrists and stares at him. John leans his head on his hands, next to her.
John: "We... really gotta get married."
Rygel continues to snore... very loudly.
Aeryn turns her head to look at him.
John: "Now."
Commandant Grayza is lying on her back. Her belly sticks out from her outfit and Grand Chancellor Maryk has his hand on it, covering her navel and the tatoo that surrounds it.
Maryk laughs: "She has a good strong kick."
There are several loud beeping tones that sound from behind them.
Grayza: "Perhaps to remind you that you're needed on the Command Deck."
She glances towards the comm center where a red light flashes. Maryk glances that way as well.
Maryk: "There is nothing to be done... at the moment." He rests on his elbow beside Grayza: "You know the situation."
Grayza: "Situations change."
Maryk: "Tsk. We are outnumbered, outgunned... and our populace has grown adverse to hardship."
Grayza reaches over and rubs her fingers over Maryk's face, beside his eyes.
Grayza: "What are you trying to say? More to the point, what are you not saying?"
Maryk: "We have now lost every single battle since the start of the war."
Grayza nods and Maryk turns his face more towards hers.
Maryk: "I seek your opinion... on a truce."
Grayza: "The Scarrans will accept no truce... only surrender."
Maryk: "A surrender then."
Grayza: "When all is lost... only."
Maryk: "What are the signs, my dear Grayza, that all is lost?" He gets up from the bed and walks away.
Grayza watches him: "A military leader... who broaches surrender."
The Scarran armada moves ponderously onward, the Emperor's decimator in the fore.
Emperor Staleek: "Crichton has departed the water planet?"
He and War Minister Ahkna enter a command chamber, followed by a pair of Scarran soldier guards.
Ahkna: "My contact has provided approximate coordinates to his destination."
Staleek: "Fearful flight, or purposeful journey?"
Ahkna: "He seeks the means to end this conflict."
Staleek: "Wormhole weapon?"
Ahkna: "Unknown. Though he does now have a traveling companion. Scorpius."
Staleek hisses: "How well do they guard Crichton?"
Ahkna: "The Leviathan travels unescorted, though Peacekeepers now protect the water planet they have left."
Staleek: "Order the remainder of our battle contingent to engage the enemy there."
Ahkna nods.
Staleek: "Defeat them... then subdue the inhabitants."
Ahkna: "And this decimator?"
Staleek: "To follow Crichton..." He leans closer to Ahkna: "... and settle old scores."
On Moya's Command..
Sikozu walks past a row of lamps, setting them alight with the burning tip of one of her fingers. There is a variety of foods lined up behind the lamps.
John: "Any good vibes from the Eidelons yet?"
D'Argo: "Caa'ta is suspicious. Imagine finding out your twelve thousand cycle old relatives are still alive."
He and D'Argo walk around the galley table, looking at the various edibles. There is a triangular shaped centerpiece and arrangements of foliage and flowers on the table with the food.
John: "Yah, I once thought my Aunt Ruth was dead. You can't believe the stuff we found in her closet."
He picks up a tray that is covered with little brown rectangles. He holds it up to his nose and sniffs it. John makes a disgusted sound and bends down, hiding the tray underneath the table.
D'Argo: "Do you think they can do it?"
John: "I don't know."
D'Argo: "Think the Eidelons can stop this war?"
John: "If they can't... we get to find another galaxy to live in." He walks away from the table. D'Argo hurries after him and stops him with a hand on his shoulder
D'Argo: "John... between you and me... if this doesn't work...?"
John: "No." He shakes his head
D'Argo: "Can you... ?"
John: "I can't."
D'Argo drops his hand and sighs.
Rygel floats onto Moya's Command. Chiana walks beside him while Stark hovers over the back of the throne sled. They both have hold of the sled. Aeryn walks in behind them, looking past them.
Rygel groans: "Oh, for Hezmana's sake, why me?"
Stark: "You're a Dominar. It has to count for something."
Aeryn walks past the food laden table and joins John. Sikozu walks towards the others.
Rygel groans again: "Carry their baby. Marry them off. What next? Let them move in?"
John and Aeryn face Rygel as he floats behind a table with a lighted candle on it. Rygel is facing them.
Rygel sighs: "What?"
John holds up his hand: "You know... forget about it. This is all wrong." He turns to walk away.
Aeryn turns her head quickly towards John: "Stop." She turns back to Rygel as she pulls her pulse pistol and points it point blank at his face.
Aeryn: "You... "
Rygel: "Hmm?"
Aeryn: "... are ruining my wedding."
D'Argo holds his breath.
John steps over to Aeryn and talks directly to her: "Honey... "
Aeryn: "What?"
John: "You're pointing a gun at the baby."
Rygel waves his hand at the gun and clears his throat loudly.
Aeryn uncocks the pistol and puts it away.
Rygel: "Ahem... "
Aeryn sighs. John has his back to Rygel. Aeryn grabs his shoulder and turns him around.
Rygel: "... I've traveled with the two of you for quite a while now, known you since you first met."
Behind John and Aeryn, D'Argo and Chiana steal a quick glance at each other.
Rygel: "Over the cycles, there were times when it looked like you were going to kill each other. Other times, we couldn't have got you off of each other with a chelsyk fire hose."
Aeryn glances at John and smiles. Behind them, Chiana giggles as Rygel laughs.
Rygel: "Sounds like a marriage to me."
John and Aeryn quietly take hold of each others' hand, down at their sides.
Rygel: "So... (he clears his throat) ...upon my pronouncement, may these two be joined as one..."
John and Aeryn both smile.
Rygel: "... and evermore let nothing come bet... oh."
Rygel looks towards the ceiling as a loud chirping noise sounds in Command. Everyone dives for cover. Aeryn shoves John ahead of her.
Aeryn: "Move!"
There is a flash of light, smoke and a loud crash. A large metal object with expanding arms appears in Command.
Chiana shrieks, as does Rygel.
D'Argo: "Pilot!"
Aeryn: "What the frell?"
John stands up: "What the hell is that?"
Pilot screams: "We're under attack... by Tregans!"
Outside Moya, there is another, smaller ship. It is shooting at her and cables run from it to the harpoons that have attached to her.
Aeryn looks through the smoke and finds Rygel.
Aeryn points: "You..."
Rygel: "Huh?"
Aeryn: "... hide."
Rygel wimpers.
Pilot: "DRD's are reporting multiple harpoon strikes... each with hauling line attached."
John, Aeryn and D'Argo leave Command.
D'Argo: "Can Moya free herself?"
Pilot: "There are too many. The Tregan ship is already pulling us in!"
Sikozu and Chiana join the others in the hallway.
Aeryn: "We're still in Peacekeeper territory. Most likely, they're mercenaries."
Chiana: "So what does that mean for us?"
D'Argo: "It means that they're probably less likely to take prisoners."
Scorpius enters the hallway, walking towards the crew.
Scorpius: "I've counted at least seven three-man craft coming towards us."
The crew stops when they get to Scorpius.
Aeryn: "They'll attempt to incapacitate Pilot and simultaneously cripple Moya's vital systems."
Sikozu: "One way or another, this will all be over in half an arn."
John: "Scorp... these guys work for the Peacekeepers?"
Scorpius: "Quite likely."
John grabs Scorpius by the front of his jacket.
John: "Right. You're with me. I want to hear those pass codes."
He hustles Scorpius along the corridor while talking back over his shoulder to the others.
John: "If the dark lord here can't convince them we're a Peacekeeper vessel, make sure you have an outstanding Plan B!"
Aeryn and the others take a different direction from John and Scorpius.
Aeryn: "D'Argo... we'll protect neural cluster. Chiana, Sikozu, you go and find Pikal and Caa'ta and keep them safe."
The group splits up with Chiana and Sikozu going through a doorway. D'Argo follows Aeryn and Stark hurries up to walk beside her.
Stark: "What... what about me?"
Aeryn: "How best can you help?"
Stark: "I can stay out of your way."
Aeryn: "Excellent."
She and D'Argo hurry on as Stark stops and watches them leave. He turns to the side and hurries off.
There is the flash of an explosion. A hanger bay door opens and some alien lifeforms enters the bay.
Scorpius follows John down a corridor.
Scorpius: "This may not go as smoothly as you'd hoped, Crichton."
John: "What? You don't do improv?"
Scorpius: "When I received the signal that you were still alive, my departure from Peacekeeper service was less than sanctioned."
John: "Meaning what?" He turns towards Scorpius and stops walking.
The aliens walk into a storage bay, across from John and Scorpius.
Alien: "You there. Hold position." He is pointing a weapon at them.
Scorpius turns to John and whispers: "We're about to find out."
Several aliens cautiously approach John and Scorpius. Most of them are covered with fur and have long pointed snouts and are wearing large goggles. The one who spoke, however, looks like a Peacekeeper. They stop, pointing their weapons at the two.
Scorpius takes a step towards them: "Do you know who I am?"
Peacekeeper: "Scorpius." There is a quaver in his voice.
Scorpius steps closer: "I take it... you are sentries for this sector, yes?" He walks towards the aliens.
Peacekeeper: "I... wasn't informed you were out here, Sir."
Scorpius: "Nor do you know it now... lest it cost you your life. In special service to the Grand Chancellor."
The Peacekeeper lowers his weapon.
Scorpius: "I order you to release and vacate this ship."
The furred Alien standing next to the Peacekeeper still has his weapon pointed at Scorpius: "That won't happen."
Scorpius: "And you are...?"
Furred Alien: "Chief of my vessel. Our orders are to commandeer any ship not broadcasting a Peacekeeper indent."
Scorpius: "My mission would be jeopardized by advertising such a beacon."
One of the aliens walks around behind John and Scorpius, going to the end of the hallway.
Furred Alien: "Your mission is more than jeopardized. It is over."
Scorpius glances around at John and the alien soldier behind them. He looks back, from the Peacekeeper to the Furred Alien.
Scorpius: "Who is in charge here? Whom should I be addressing?" He steps up in front of the Peacekeeper.
Scorpius: "And who... is going to take the blame?"
Without taking his eyes off Scorpius, the Peacekeeper orders: "Chief... release the harpoons... on Scorpius' authority."
The Furred Alien growls, then puts down his weapon and turns away.
Scorpius takes a step back.
Peacekeeper: "Your command code, Sir?"
Scorpius: "Seven-six-seven, decca helon." He immediately turns around and walks towards John.
Two of the furred aliens are looking at a device that makes several beeping noises.
Peacekeeper: "Scorpius... it is an honor to meet you face to face."
The device sounds an alarm. The aliens immediately raise their weapons. John looks behind them as he draws his gun. He shoots the furred alien in the doorway as the others begin shooting. Scorpius keeps his back to the aliens as he walks towards the doorway. John hides behind Scorpius and backs away. He keeps one hand on Scorpius' front while shooting over his shoulder at the aliens. As they exit the doorway, John pulls Scorpius out of the line of fire and shoves him against the bulkhead.
John: "That's a damn nice set of body armor. Does that come in blue?"
John steps around the doorway to shoot back at the aliens, then jumps back by Scorpius.
John: "What the hell did you do when you left the fatherland? Steal the goose that lays the golden egg?"
Scorpius: "Deserted my post." Scorpius smiles.
John: "What? For little old me? It's amazing what a man will do when he's in love."
John grabs Scorpius again and pulls him, back first, into the doorway, using Scorpius as a living shield as they escape down the hallway.
END OF ACT THREE
