Scorpius, now in command of a Peacekeeper fleet, launches an unauthorized surprise attack against a Scarran dreadnaught that is quickly met with an official declaration of war – a war the Peacekeepers’ high commander does not believe they can win. Scorpius, with assistance from Sikozu, has developed new tactics that might give the Peacekeepers a chance, but he is soon distracted by another possibility. After two months of searching, Rygel has managed to collect every last piece of the crystallized Crichton and Aeryn. Chiana and Stark bring Grunchlik and a Diagnosan to the water planet. The Diagnosan has already given Chiana new eyes, and soon he is able to restore Crichton and Aeryn to health as well – a fact which Harvey immediately reports to Scorpius. He immediately pulls his carrier out of the battle and heads to the water planet; his arrival interrupts Crichton and Aeryn’s wedding as the planet’s inhabitants, who jealously guard their privacy, retreat into shelters inside their hidden city. The disruption has one positive effect: Noranti recognizes a symbol in one of the shelters and realizes that the water planet’s inhabitants are descended from the Eidolons, the ancient race of mediators that Moya’s crew brought out of stasis on Arnessk months before. With the galaxy descending into war – and all sides still after Crichton’s wormhole expertise – the crew decides on a desperate gambit: they will bring one of the descendants to Arnessk and ask the Eidolons to train him and his people in their ways of conciliation, in hopes that they will then be able to initiate a settlement.
Before they can proceed, there is one small complication: a medical check reveals that Aeryn is no longer pregnant. When Rygel was bringing the pieces up from the ocean floor in his stomachs, the fetus decided to stick around. The Diagnosan says they’ll have to wait a while to transfer the fetus back to Aeryn – but not too long, since the child is growing at an accelerated rate. The Diagnosan gives them the equipment to make the transfer, and they’re on their way – with Scorpius and Sikozu in tow at D’Argo’s behest, in order to help Moya get past Peacekeeper patrols. Unfortunately, Scorpius’s desertion renders that advantage null, leading to a firefight aboard the Leviathan. On Arnessk, Crichton gets an enthusiastic greeting from Jool, and after some discussion one of the Eidolon elders agrees to allow the descendant to begin his training while he returns to the water planet to teach the others. The elder’s departure from the planet is fortuitous, since a spy has relayed Moya’s location to the Scarrans, who destroy the temple and its inhabitants before they demand the crew surrender. D’Argo and Chiana leave Moya aboard a cloaked Lolan to wait for the opportunity to rescue the others, who find themselves to be less than comfortable guests of Staleek and Ahkna. The Eidolon is not yet ready to mediate; he must first study and understand the Scarrans. In order to buy time and ensure Rygel’s safety, Crichton takes Staleek in his module to the point where the Ancients explained the nature of wormholes. Einstein is not happy that Crichton has revealed his existence to Staleek, but Crichton doesn’t particularly care. He just wants Einstein to reaffirm that he doesn’t have the ability to create wormhole weapons. Einstein confirms this, and demonstrates the Ancients’ power over time as well.
Staleek’s departure gives Ahkna an opportunity to advance her position. She tries to ensure that Rygel dies in an “accident” before the emperor returns, and demonstrates to Aeryn and the others that Lolan’s cloaking technology is too primitive to fool the Scarrans by blowing up the vessel. Staleek’s return saves Rygel, but Chiana and D’Argo seem doomed as they float in space. A moment of hope emerges as the Eidolon makes a successful appeal to Staleek to negotiate, and an accord seems within reach. Ahkna remains out of the Eidolon’s influence, however, and breaks up the negotiations with a blast to the elder’s face. Stark absorbs the elder’s knowledge as he passes, but Staleek is not inclined to give him the chance to pass it on; the emperor seals the prisoners’ room and begins to fill it with an incapacitating gas.
written by David Kemper and Rockne S. O’Bannon
directed by Brian Henson
music by Guy GrossCast: Ben Browder (Commander John Crichton), Claudia Black (Officer Aeryn Sun), Anthony Simco (Ka D’Argo), Gigi Edgley (Chiana), Wayne Pygram (Scorpius), Lani Tupu (voice of Pilot), Paul Goddard (Stark), David Franklin (Captain Braca), Tammy McIntosh (Jool), Raelee Hill (Sikozu), Melissa Jaffer (Noranti), Rebecca Riggs (Commandant Grayza), Francesca Buller (Ahkna), Matt Newton (Jothee), Duncan Young (Staleek), John Bach (Einstein)
Notes: Crichton and Aeryn were crystallized in the series finale Bad Timing. The Eidolon temple was rescued in the season 4 two-parter What Was Lost. Crichton met the Ancient he dubbed Einstein in the season 4 episode Unrealized Reality.
LogBook entry by Dave Thomer