Brief synopsis:
A mysterious alien, T'Raltixx, arrives aboard Moya to try and make Moya less easy to track for the Peacekeepers. He has knowledge of a cloaking devices which could prove to be an essential purchase for the crew. However, soon after this creature's arrival, and the subsequent journey into a pulsar field, the crew start to act completely nuts, with alliances forming and breaking throughout the journey, occupying the time of the crew and leaving T'Raltixx to go about his own task - to create light.

The Main Story:
Moya has a guest aboard, invited by Zhaan to make Moya more difficult to track. The bizarre creature, T'Raltixx, a highly evolved being, comes aboard to use his "sentra device" to adjust Moya's electromagnetics, rendering Moya untraceable. Chiana also returns from the nearby commerce planet with food - 1000 food rectangles, or crackers. Aeryn also visited, and discovered 10 wanted beacons in the market alone, sent by Scorpius to offer rewards for the capture of John Crichton. T'Raltixx is allowed to begin testing, and does so on Crichton's module, a suitable choice as it has bio-mechanoid parts from adaptations made over the cycles, making it similar to Moya in some ways.

The 10 microt test is successful, and although John doesn't realise it, his module becomes completely invisible to the human (and alien) eye. John reports to Pilot, telling him that T'Raltixx seems harmless enough, even if he isn't yet trusted. To begin adapting Moya for the device, they have to travel to T'Raltixx's homeworld, which involves a journey through some pulsars. T'Raltixx warns that the light can affect "lesser species", affecting judgment, and causing wooziness, but is confident they will all be fine. As John takes T'Raltixx around the ship to find a place for him to stay, he encounters some strange behaviour. Chiana has begun eating the crackers, with apparently no thought for how many get eaten...

John and Rygel then argue over Rygel's smell and eating habits, but the first real signs of madness are seen when Zhaan and Aeryn fight over access to a message beacon Aeryn had been examining. Zhaan seems paranoid that there could have been a deal offer for Aeryn, hidden in the beacon. The madness turns to violence though when D'Argo attacks Rygel when the little Hynerian was scoffing food.

Crichton: "Have you noticed anything different around here shellhead? In case you haven't, let me be the first to inform you: people are starting to act a liiittle strange."

Crichton is first to realise what they're all doing, but by this time Pilot too seems to be under some kind of influence as well. When T'Raltixx asks Pilot if he likes the crew, Pilot flatly says no. Chiana then finds Aeryn with the beacon, and begins her own argument. When Crichton arrives he tries to settle the dispute, but paranoia overwhelms them, and the three approach violence. D'Argo arrives, fuelling the situation even more, and though the two pairs go their seperate ways, it very nearly ended in violence right here.

The reason for all the bizarre behaviour soon becomes clearer though when we see T'Raltixx attached to the ceiling, using lasers from his face to shoot out observing DRDs. When later confronted by Crichton, T'Raltixx simply claims that perhaps the pulsars are affecting them more than expected, but that as they are half way through the field, the effects should soon start diminishing. D'Argo and Chiana then make an alliance, and try to leave Moya, but are stopped when Crichton reveals that he has disabled his module, and the hangar doors, so everyone stays "on the boat".

While Crichton points out his sabotage, he doesn't seem to care about Zhaan, unconscious on the floor after being knocked out by D'Argo, and this is enough to make Chiana distrust D'Argo. The fragile alliance breaks, and the two go their own way. Aeryn, having teamed up with Rygel, finds a similar problem, and believes she can't trust the Hynerian. For now though, she concentrates on taking over command, and fending off Crichton (and his insults). Crichton then moves on to Chiana, but is unprepared for her attack, which leaves him "aching" and in great pain. The episode goes completely insane at this point though, with the arrival of Scorpius, visible only to John, and wearing, bizarrely, a hawaiian shirt.

Crichton then confronts D'Argo, and with Scorpius pushing him mentally, Crichton shoots the Luxan in the leg. D'Argo manages to escape when Crichton is distracted by Scorpius, but leaves a trail of blood for John to follow later. Crichton then goes back to Chiana, and looks on the verge of assaulting her sexually before Scorpius suggests saving her "for dessert". He knocks her out as well, and moves on to the remaining crew. When he finds Aeryn, she has taken care of Rygel for him after their alliance went the same way as D'Argo and Chiana's. Aeryn and John then trade insults, then laser fire, and when that runs out, punches. Unexpectedly, John wins, and drags Aeryn to his collection of fellow crew members.

Once the whole crew is assembled and conscious, (though tied up), Crichton tells them what the problem is - T'Raltixx. Using Zhaan to provide evidence (the female plant was more affected near T'Raltixx than by the light) and showing the crew that Moya is beginning to glow, John convinces them that T'Raltixx needs to be their target. Chiana is the first to point out that Crichton has to be the one to go, as he is "deficient", his eyes are less good, and he is less affected by the light. He unties Aeryn first, then the rest of the crew, and they begin preparing John for battle.

Each crew member provides an object of some kind for Crichton to use. Zhaan gives him heat deflecting paste (pre-digested), D'Argo hands him some goggles, Aeryn gives him a piece of her prowler as a shield, Chiana provides solar reflective flare wrap, and Rygel operates the sentra device to keep Crichton invisible (handy as he looks ridiculous). Crichton enters the chamber where T'Raltixx has coupled a large number of cables to transfer more light through Moya, and begins cutting them.

T'Raltixx soon realises where Crichton is though, and zaps the cable connecting the sentra device. He then attacks Crichton, firing his facial laser from above, but with Crichton cutting the cables, T'Raltixx is weakened, and John is able to shoot T'Raltixx down using D'Argo's Qualta blade. He then finishes the alien off with the blade, allowing the crew to go back to "normal".

Afterwards, apologies are on the cards, with Pilot saying sorry to everyone, D'Argo apologising to Rygel for his attack, Chiana saying Zhaan was probably the best behaved, and how impressed she was with the amount of stuff inside Crichton's head. The hardest apologies of all however were between Crichton and Aeryn, after the incredible insults they fired at eachother, but the two seem to have a mutual understanding, and try to leave behind what they said. Crichton is still worried though that maybe they will never be the same around eachother again.

Trivia Quiz:

References and continuity:

Crichton: "Heeeeerrre's Jonny!"

Director Ian Watson say this episode as being similar to "The Shining", and used the shot with Crichton coming to the door with the line above.

Scorpius: "Revenge is a dish best served cold, and you like revenge John."

Scorpius starts to quote Shakespeare, much to Crichton's displeasure.

Crichton: "Ronaldo... Ooh, even on a fresh wound."

Crichton kicks D'Argo's wound, and says Ronaldo, a Brazillian football star, voted player of the year in the past, and who won the "golden boot" for the most goals scored in the 2002 world cup (not that Crichton would know that part when he left).

Crichton: "Gilligan and Mary Ann. Maybe you're Ginger. 'd have to see you in a wonderbra to know."

Characters from Giligan's island, Giligan was a little juvenille to really seek the attentions of girls like Mary Ann - a little harsh on D'Argo, especially as the character was also well known for breakages. Mary Ann was often a voice of reason, but was often pushed to the background by the supposedly more beautiful Ginger. Hence Crichton's need to see Chiana in the famous wonderbra to be able to truly tell.

• John mentions Disneyland, the huge American resort, extremely popular with tourists, featuring numerous rides and Disney related attractions.
• He also mentions Hawaii Five-O, the long running American tv show following police, predominantly filmed in Hawaii.
• Crichton calls D'Argo Grizzly, presumably after the bear, with a reputation for being grumpy, found in mountain areas.
• Aeryn refers to John's first experiment, the Farscape project, which he screwed up, resulting in him getting sent here to the uncharted territories.
• When asking somebody to count to 10 microts for the cloaking device at the end, Crichton asks for "no mippippippi" referring back to Through The Looking Glass when D'Argo needed a way to count in microts, but couldn't pronounce Mississippi.
• John quotes the old Humpty Dumpty nursery ryhme at the end, where humpty was so badly smashed that all the kings men and all the kings horses, couldn't put humpty together again. He worries that their feelings could have been so badly hurt by eachother that they may never recover.

Crichton: "You know what? Aeryn's right. You're fweakin insane!"

The paranoia begins, and its all over a silly beacon left by the Peacekeepers.

Crichton "Pilot. Pilot!?! Heha... don't make me come up there!" Pilot is gradually turned against the crew by T'Raltixx's interference. Pilot: "How do humans make it through a cycle, even a half cycle without killing eachother?." Crichton: "We find it difficult. Have you run the scan yet?" Pilot: "You have no special abilities, you're not particularly smart, can hardly smell, can barely see, and you're not even vaguely physically or spiritually imposing. Is there anything you do well?" Crichton: "Watch football. Have you run the scan?" Pilot: "Nobody trusts you Crichton, you know that? Sometimes they pity you because of your incompet-" Crichton: "Mama always said, if you want something done, you've gotta do it yourself." Pilot: "Don't touch my console!"

John realises Pilot is affected too, despite not being able to see the light - the first clue that perhaps T'Raltixx is responsible.

Crichton: "Food? Is that what this is all about? Is it? Okay, then where's my damn ice cream?"
Rygel: "I have no idea what Isa's Dream is!"
Crichton: "Is that it? Sparky? Gonna take the road well travelled? Gonna play dumb? I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. Baskin Robbins, Ben and Jerry's, Good Humour. What's your favourite? Creamsicle or Fudgesicle?"

Crichton's madness confuses Rygel even more when he introduces a food unfamiliar to Rygel.

Aeryn: "You're so right. He's absolutely right! The power settings too low!"

Aeryn goes nuts, starts pointing a gun at her own head, and then shoots Crichton. "You missed! Hahhahaha!" replies Crichton.

Scorpius: "Go on John, then we can go to the beach! I know a place with naked sebacean girls and margarita shooters." Scorpius... in a hawaiian shirt, determined to go to the beach. You know when you've been Farscaped.

Crichton: "Is that why your family abandoned you? Because you'd spread 'em for anyone, anytime?"

The insults start flying out of John's mouth, with Chiana the unfortunate recipient this time, though perhaps some of it she brought on herself.

Aeryn: "You cheat you steal you lie, you stuff your face, that's you!"

Aeryn follows suit, and as the alliances break apart she has a few words to say to Rygel.

Aeryn: "Is that it? Oh don't stop! Why don't you make *another* speech you self-important deficient little man!"

Aeryn soon starts aiming at Crichton "You're just this test monkey who screwed up his first experiment". Ouch!

Crichton: "That is *fan*tastic coming from a frigid, flat butted Peacekeeper skank!"

Seriously, I could quote the whole episode here! Only a few more.

Aeryn: "Are you cracking up little man? Helloooo?"

John gets distracted by the Scorpius in his head, and Aeryn is mystified by this new found stupidity.

Crichton: "I got great eyes, they're better than 20/20 and they're blue!"

Sadly though he can't read the markings on the waste tunnel, proving he has the least good eyesight of all of them.

Crichton: "I told them, it was a mistake, bringing, you, onboard!"

Crichton had his doubts from the beginning, and it was him that got the crew through the ordeal.

And don't forget the many other great quotes, "Human's. Are. Superior!" and many others from this fantastic episode!

Writer:

Justin Monjo wrote this episode, and also wrote:

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