Brief synopsis:
It turns out that Aeryn's injuries are far worse than Crichton realised, and without a tissue graft, she will die. Crichton then decides to go on a dangerous mission to infiltrate the Gammak base they were originally heading for when Larraq was aboard (see A Bug's Life). However, finding the tissue is the easy part, as his main problem turns out to be the being in charge of the base, Scorpius.

The Main Story:
John finds Aeryn training, vigorously, punching relentlessly at her target. John asks why she didn't come to eat with them. Aeryn asks to be left alone, but John doesn't leave before he sees Aeryn coughing up blood. Aeryn asks to leave aboard her Prowler, a clear signal to John that she doesn't expect to live long. She explains that the knife Larraq used in the previous episode actually pierced her paraphoral nerve. The only way for her to survive would be to get a tissue graft, and they are nowhere near any sebacean colonies. However, John isn't willing to give up so easily.

They know of a Gammak base nearby, thanks to the coordinates given to them by Captain Larraq, so John decides to go there to try and get the tissue sample. Despite resistance from Zhaan, the crew agree, and John, impersonating Larraq prepares to leave. Aeryn tells him its suicide, but wishes him good luck when he refuses to do nothing. Chiana steps in to help John out, asking to go to the base with him, claiming she can be a great distraction causer. She also has Larraq's Peacekeeper Ident chip, which is a big enough bargaining tool to convince Crithon.

As the pair approach the base in Aeryn's prowler, they at first think there might be nothing there as the whole planet looks dead, but they then receive targeting locks, prompting Crichton to use the comms. He orders those on the base to hold their fire and allow their superior officer to land. Upon landing, John is asked for identification, which he gives, and then meets Commander Javio. Mysteriously, when John and Chiana later go on to their quarters, Crichton manages to pass through a genetic verification test. All is revealed when he bumps into Gilina who tells him it was her who overrode the test.

With a great ally inside the base, Crichton asks Gilina to get the sample, which she does so immediately, whilst Chiana does a little investigating. Back on the ship, Aeryn's condition is deteriorating, but D'Argo comes up with a great idea. He gets Zhaan to connect Aeryn up to Moya directly. The problem with her pierced nerve is that she can't regulate toxin build up, but with Moya's help, her body can be kept clean. With this temporary solution, and a sample on the way, things appear to be going well, but then John is somehow spotted by Scorpius, who instantly knows he is an imposter.

Though Crichton manages to put the tissue sample in a safe place, he gets taken away by Scorpius, and put in a device called the Aurora chair, which forces the occupant to reveal memories, which are displayed on a screen. Scorpius learns that Crichton is definitely not sebacean, as they have disimilar energy signatures, and then learns more using the chair. He witnesses the escape aboard Moya, and in particular the pursuit of Captain Crais. Wanting more answers, he calls the Captain to the base, deducing that as the Captain has been ignoring orders from high command that he has found the reason that Crais has gone renegade.

Gilina tries to help Chiana escape, and to do so, changes her appearence by dressing her in a tech's uniform and radically altering her hair colour. Scorpius meanwhile discovers John's interest in wormholes, and assums Crichton is a spy as this base turns out to be a wormhole research facility. He also discovers a block, something which Crichton won't reveal. As Crichton reaches the limits of his stamina, Scorpius lets him take a break, and puts him in a cell - with Stark. His cellmate is a Banik, once a slave, now tortured by Scorpius in the same way John just was, except he has been there much longer.

Back on Moya, contractions start, forcing Zhaan to detach Aeryn from Moya, but at least the plan bought her more time. Crais then arrives at the base, and begins to order Scorpius around. Scorpius points out Crais's lack of ability to follow orders, and says that he will use the Aurora chair on Crichton until he has the information he needs, then he will hand over Crichton to Crais. Back at the prison cell, Gilina taps into communications and is able to let John tell Chiana where the sample is hidden. However, Crais then arrives to try and get more answers from Crichton.

Crais tells John that he is dead no matter what, but that he can save his shipmates, if he gives Scorpius the information, whatever it is Crichton is blocking. However, when Crais says that all the crew of Moya are totally unharmed, alive and well, he gives things away, as John knows how ill Aeryn must be. John won't give anything away unless the chair rips it from him, which Stark says it eventually will. Meanwhile the girls get busy as Gilina sets off an evacuation warning, and Chiana tries to escape with the tissue sample.

Though Chiana is recognised by Commander Javio, she deals with the problem using a rather large amount of flame, burning the Peacekeeper to death. She then leaves aboard the Prowler, and gets the sample to Aeryn. Back on the base, Scorpius shows just how sharp he is. When he learns the evacuation warning was a fake, he realises one of Crichton's accomplices must have escaped, but knows there may still be more on the base.

To Be Continued... (see The Hidden Memory)

References and continuity:

Where did Chiana get the Ident chip? At the end of A Bug's Life Chiana struggles with Larraq, and manages to pull off his chip, which she keeps until needed in this episode.

Who is Gilina? The crew met Gilina aboard the Zelbinion when she was left there by the Peacekeepers in the episode PK Tech Girl.

Crichton calls Scorpius Nosferatu, from the classic 1922 movie of the same name. This early Dracula played by Max Schreck was free of the flamboyant touches brought in by actors such as Christopher Lee, and was portrayed as more of a cursed, diseased being.

Crichton: "Danger Will Robinson, beware the chair"
From the original TV series, Lost In Space, and later the movie, the Robinson family, in particular the young son Will, were warned this way by "Robot", their android travelling companion. Coincidentally, another Will Robinson, William Heath Robinson was a cartoonist who illustrated a Don Quixote, which is funny because Ben Browder later went on to write Season 4's John Quixote.

D'Argo tells Aeryn that as she once said, you will die, but not today. He is referring to the time when D'Argo was severely injured in Throne for a loss and Aeryn helped him through it. Notice that Richard Manning wrote both of these episodes, which is probably why this reference is made.

How did 7 months pass? Don't forget that John was stuck on Acquara for about 3 months in the episode Jeremiah Crichton, and that the other four months could easily have passed by with the numerous other adventures the crew have had.

Who's the grey girl? That's Chiana, a Nebari who joined the crew in the last episode Durka Returns. She was a prisoner, but her captor was killed during the episode, and she was never handed over to the Nebari

Funny or interesting quotes: Scorpius: "That man. He's an imposter." Does Scorpius have some kind of telepathic ability?

Stark: "My side your side, my side your side."

Crichton's cellmate Stark appears to be completely insane, and clearly doesn't like the idea of Crichton joining him in there.

Episode Trivia:

• There were 8 targeting cannons locked onto Crichton's ship as he arrived at the Gammak Base.
• The actual reason Stark is in the Aurora chair isn't revealed untilt he end of season 4.
• Stark actor Paul Goddard also played the role of an Agent in the hit film, The Matrix.

Richard Manning wrote this episode, and also wrote:

Director:

The director of this episode was Rowan Woods who also directed:

Episode Aliens:

Scorpius, who we later learn is a Sebacean / Scarren cross breed.

Farewell to:

• Crais's authority. Scorpius has total control of the Gammack base, and forces Crais to play along.
• Javio, killed by Chiana when he tried to stop the Nebari escaping.

Guest Stars:
Alyssa-Jane Cook as Gilina. Wayne Pygram as Scorpius, a character who goes on to play a regular role. Paul Goddard as Stark, who also goes on to play a regular role. Stephen Leeder as Javio. Anthony Kierann as Lieutenant Heskon.

Personal Opinion:

Crichton took a massive risk to save Aeryn here, and it sets two major things in motion. Firstly, his love for Aeryn is becoming more and more clear, and also he encounters Scorpius, a major player for the rest of the Farscape series. "New to it all Crichton" is gone, from now on things aren't just done out of curiousity and wonder, everything is dangerous, and can have massive consequences. Enjoy the episodes to come!

Chiana has really begun to get involved in things now, sticking her neck out to save her crewmates, though admittedly this often has an ulterior motive. However, she is as active as any other member of the crew now, and has certainly found her place. The only disappointing thing was that Scorpius didn't seem to be that bothered about Crichton's life before the Uncharted Territories, though why would he? Still, it would have been fun to see more with the Aurora chair.

	The big bad is revealed in fine style		9/10