Brief synopsis:
When the crew discover an activated Paddac beacon left by the peacekeepers, they are forced to make a crash landing. Once on the ground, Crichton gets to be the alien in a world much like ours, as they search for a chemical to ease Moya's pain as Rygel cuts out the beacon.

The Main Story:
A loud siren sounds from tier 7, prompting the crew to investigate. They find a device in Moya's primary neural nexus, and Aeryn identifies it as a Paddac Beacon. The device not only sounds the alarm, but is sending a powerful signal into space, using Moya's hull as an amplifier. Crichton comes up with a plan to muffle the signal whilst they search for a way to remove the beacon - they attempt to land in a bog on a nearby planet. The succeed, but Pilot warns that they need to move fast before Moya is overwhelmed by her own weight.

Rygel is asked to cut the beacon from Moya, but the area is so sensitive that Pilot fears Moya may be unable to take the pain. The crew try to think what could be used as an anaesthetic, and Pilot tells them of a forbidden cargo, chlorium, a substance Moya would never carry, but one that would certainly help the pain.

As John, Aeryn and D'Argo set off to find chlorium on the planet, Rygel is asked to begin cutting, whilst Zhaan attempts to share Moya's pain. With time running out, they have little choice but to start, despite Moya's pain. Meanwhile, John and company encounter resistance, but evade it until John bumps into a boy, Fostro, and his mother Lyneea.

Lyneea is at first very scared, having never seen an alien, and even stuns Crichton using some kind of weapon, but as John explains himself, she gradually begins to believe that this alien could in fact be friendly. John finds the chlorium he is looking for in what looks like this species' version of a salt container. John reports the news to Pilot, letting Lyneea see another, more spectacular alien. Trouble starts however, when the army arrives to try and take charge of the situation. John hides, with help from Lyneea, but the army find their very own alien.

Outside, Aeryn had gone back to help out on Moya, whilst D'Argo had stayed to find John, and see what was taking so long in finding the Chlorium. The army however captures D'Argo before he can reach John. This leaves John needing to not only escape, but to rescue D'Argo at the same time.

However, Lyneea helps again by showing the army commander a recording of the conversation between Crichton and Pilot, and telling him where the signal came from (in the wrong direction). This leaves the guards weaker, allowing John to knock them out and rescue D'Argo.

Fostro comes over to D'Argo at the end, and John encourages the two to shake hands. The young boy seems to have been inspired by his encounter, and goes back to his mother, the two now having an incredible tale to tell to their children. John and D'Argo get back to Moya as Rygel finishes cutting the connections of the beacon. Applying the chlorium to Moya numbs the pain enough for Moya to be able to lift off, and leave the planet behind. Fostro and Lyneea watch them leave, and John's adventures continue.

References and continuity:

Crichton has been in space for a very short amount of time, so alien life is almost as new to him as it is to the people on the planet they visit. He is able to identify with their expectations of little green buglike aliens, after similar beings were imagined as aliens visting earth.

As Aeryn was once a peacekeeper, her knowledge of the beacon's capabilities is very useful, though D'Argo clearly doubts that Aeryn has changed a lot. Aeryn explains that on previous Leviathans, not all have been equipped with such a beacon, which is why she had never thought of looking before.

Interestingly, the aliens that Crichton meets, despite not having advanced technology, or even proper spaceflight, do seem to have translator microbes, as they clearly understand John and even Pilot.

Funny or interesting quotes:

Aeryn: "I'm new to all this escaped prisoner crap"

Aeryn is clearly still finding it hard to adapt to life outside of the peacekeeper world, but still finds time to learn some colourful language from John.

Episode Trivia:

Interestingly, though predictably, Hynerians are an aquatic species, and one with very sharp teeth judging by the bite on Aeryn's arm.

I know this isn't of any interest to anybody else, but I somehow managed to see this episode first, before Premiere aired on UK television.

Writer:

The writer of this episode, was Sally Lapiduss who also wrote the following:

Director:

The director of this episode was Pino Amenta. He had already directed one episode:

New Aliens:

Though not much is revealed of the species, John discovers a race a lot like his own, with similar technology, and an equal lack of knowledge of all the many races already making journeys through space. The similarities are great, with the military following the same pattern we might expect on earth, treating aliens as enemies that need to be pulled apart to see what makes them move.

Farewell to:

Paddac Beacon

Gradually the crew are taking away the last of the traps aboard Moya, set by the Peacekeepers.

Guest Stars:
Mary Mara as Lyneea. Cayde Tasker as Fostro. Boris Brkic as Commander Ryymax. Mark Shaw, Dominic Bianco, and Heath Wilder as Alien hunters.

Personal Opinion:

It was great to see Crichton put in this position, for once the knowledgeable one having more experience in space. Still Aeryn and D'Argo have little sympathy for him and insist he moves faster.

It was nice to see the crew coming together though, especially Rygel, who on this occasion lets on that he does actually care a little about those around him. He was the only one who could cut the beacon from Moya, and he did it well.

	The characters are coming together nicely.		6/10