1.18 - A Bug's Life

A Peacekeeper Marauder docks with Moya and John impersonates a Peacekeeper captain in order to gain information. But the Marauder's cargo, a hostile, intelligent virus, gets loose on Moya and suddenly both the Peacekeepers and the crew of Moya are in a struggle for their lives.

How dare you sneak up on me like that? I should make you wear a bell around your neck. - Dominar Rygel XVI
Keep your fantasies to yourself, frog boy. - Chiana

You might think your magic pill worked and then Rygel's up walking around the ship, coughing up spores, cats and dogs living together. - John Crichton

A Peacekeeper Marauder is approaching Moya. Pilot can tell from its ident signal that it is not from Crais' Command Carrier. Zhaan is in one of Moya's cells and is chaining D'Argo to the wall. He is complaining but Zhaan tells him that they will try John's plan. She takes Rygel's thronesled away from him and enters her own cell then asks Pilot to lock the doors, which he does.

The Marauder, leaking something, lands on Moya and four Peacekeepers exit. They are met by Aeryn, who is armed and wearing her Peacekeeper uniform. The leader of the Marauder team, Larraq tells Aeryn that they have a fuel leak and are lucky to have found Moya.

John arrives, also wearing a Peacekeeper uniform and affecting a Peacekeeper accent. He claims to be the captain. Larraq announces that he is commandeering Moya and he and the other newly arrived Peacekeepers draw weapons but they are shot out of their hands by the DRDs.
"You need my help. I suggest you ask nicely... Captain." says John.

Later, Larraq is in the holding area with Aeryn and John. They claim to have recaptured the prisoners while out on a test flight. They say they are testing control of Leviathans without using a control collar. Larraq is impressed.

Larraq tells them that he needs them to transport a crate to the nearest Peacekeeper base, only 20 arns away. John is surprised at that since it means the base is in the Uncharted Territories. Larraq admits that it is and says it is a new Gammak base.

Back in the landing bay, the other three Peacekeepers, Hassan, Thonn and Rhed are unloading a crate from the Marauder. Chiana appears and tells them she is working for the captain and that he has food ready for them. One of the Peacekeepers uses a key to open the crate and checks the contents.

Chiana stumbles and spills a drink she is holding onto the Peacekeeper with the key. She apologies and tries to dry him off but he irritatedly tells her to leave. She does, but outside she looks in the towel she was using and sees the outline of the key pressed into a food cube which she had hidden there.
"Ha!" she says. "Too easy."

John unchains D'Argo and releases him and Zhaan. Both of them want to attack the Peacekeepers while they have surprise but John wants more time to find out about the base. Both argue against it but eventually decide to follow John's lead. They go to Rygel's cell to tell him but find he is missing.

D'Argo, John and Zhaan start down the corridor but they hear one of the Peacekeepers approaching. Zhaan ducks back into her cell but D'Argo will not let John refasten his chains. Thonn appears around the corner and sees John in D'Argo's cell. D'Argo suddenly attacks John and Thonn rushes to his aid. He and John manage to subdue D'Argo and get him locked back up. Thonn tells John he is lucky he came by when he did. They leave. Zhaan tells D'Argo he did well but D'Argo points out they are locked up again.

Aeryn and Larraq are in the galley talking. He is asking her why she is flying the Leviathan and she tells him of the other ships she has flown. He tells her he has been in the Uncharted Territories for over a cycle searching for the thing in the crate and that she should stay away from it. She makes a joke about it but he seems to be genuinely concerned.

Chiana gets the DRDs to make a copy of the key and goes to the cargo bay where she finds Rygel already examining the crate. They argue a bit but finally agree to split the contents of the crate 50/50. Chiana opens the crate and they find a small, ugly creature inside that neither can identify.

They hear a sound and duck under cover as Thonn enters. He sees the open crate and goes over to investigate but when he reaches it he has some sort of seizure and collapses.

Rhed enters and sees Thonn and the open crate. She tries to call Larraq on her comm but Thonn stands up and shoots her. He then strangles the creature in the crate.

Pilot reports the shot fired in the cargo bay and everyone starts running in that direction. D'Argo demands that Pilot release him and Zhaan from their cells.

Rygel makes a sound and Thonn hears him. Rygel escapes but Thonn catches Chiana and kisses her. She gets an odd look on her face then knocks Thonn out and hides as Aeryn, Larraq and Hassan enter.

Aeryn sees the open crate and Larraq says that "it" has escaped. John arrives and asks what "it" is.

Larraq explains that they have been chasing an intelligent virus. The virus can inhabit a host and control it. If it ever manages to stay inside a host for about an arn then it can release enough spores to infect a large part of the sector. The virus can move from one host to another but the two hosts have to be in close proximity to each other.

Larraq tries questioning Thonn but he can't remember anything. Chiana appears and says that she saw what happened and that Rygel was also near the crate. They decide that the virus is in Rygel. They head out to look for him.

Aeryn tells John that his plan is ruined since the Peacekeepers are now on alert and they will not be able to take them by surprise. She stalks off. John gets Chiana and they follow.

Aeryn, Chiana and John are with Larraq, Hassan and Thonn when they are ambushed by D'Argo and Zhaan. Larraq wants to simply kill the prisoners but John says they need their help. He goes out to D'Argo and Zhaan and, staying in his Peacekeeper character, explains to them what is going on and asks for their help.

Everyone meets on Command and agree to search for Rygel. Zhaan asks if there is any way to test for the virus and Hassan tells her the host will show high acidity but only after the virus is gone. They decide to go off in pairs and hunt for Rygel.

Aeryn is searching with Larraq, D'Argo with Thonn and Zhaan with Hassan. She is continuing to ask about the virus and she tells her that the host loses all memory of what it did while under the virus' control and it leaves them dizzy and confused.

Aeryn and Larraq are talking and Aeryn asks why they wanted the virus alive. Larraq tells her that the Peacekeepers want it to try to create a weapon out of it, something that will let them gain control of an army without attacking it. He also tells her that he has so far lost 4 of his crew searching for the virus.

Pilot thinks that Rygel is somewhere in the access shaft system. John and Chiana enter the access shafts but Chiana has the same odd look on her face again. They are interrupted when Aeryn calls and says they have found Rygel in the central chamber.

Everyone arrives and Larraq gets the "Stasis Gun". Aeryn asks why he doesn't use a pulse rifle and Larraq reminds her he needs the virus alive. Rygel tries to protest but Larraq shoots him.

Chiana licks her finger then goes up to John. Zhaan sees Chiana and John both acting strangely, shaking their heads back and forth. John gets an odd look on his face and loosens his Peacekeeper uniform.

John is leading D'Argo and Zhaan back to their cells. Neither are happy but John says they need to find out if there is an antibody for the virus and the Peacekeepers are the only ones who know. Zhaan thinks she might be able to create one but John says he doesn't and that he will go talk to Hassan as soon as they are done. He locks D'Argo back in his cell but as he is taking Zhaan to hers Thonn shows up. John punches Zhaan and pushes her into her cell, to Thonn's approval.

Aeryn, Larraq and Hassan are in the cargo bay putting Rygel in the crate. Larraq and Hassan admit that removing the virus from Rygel will also kill him. Hassan leaves. Larraq asks Aeryn if she would consider joining his special operations unit. Aeryn seems pleased and Larraq says he is impressed by the way she operates and seems to be personally interested in her as well.

John goes to Zhaan's lab/apothecary and finds Hassan there. Hassan is impressed by the contents but John comes up behind her and kills her. He then destroys the stasis gun and leaves.

D'Argo and Zhaan are still in their cells when Chiana arrives. Pilot had told her that Zhaan wanted to see her. Zhaan asks Chiana to lick a piece of cloth containing litmus fibers and, when she does, it turns red. Zhaan realizes that this means that the virus was in Chiana and not in Rygel and, since it is no longer in Chiana, is loose somewhere.

John and Larraq are in Command when Aeryn enters and asks why they have increased speed. Larraq says that he wants to get to the Gammak base as soon as possible and John tells her that he is still playing the part of a Peacekeeper captain. Thonn suddenly runs in and tells them that Hassan is dead and the stasis gun destroyed.

D'Argo and Chiana arrive and Thonn starts to shoot them but is stopped by Aeryn. Zhaan comes in and says that the virus is in one of them and that they think it is in John. John pulls a gun and tries to shoot Aeryn and Larraq but everyone jumps on him and knocks him to the ground.

Zhaan suddenly pulls back. "Oh no!"

Everyone in the room realizes what she means and jumps off of John. They all pull weapons and point them at each other.

John gets up, somewhat disoriented and looks around. He asks what is going on.
"The virus, John." Zhaan tells him. "It's in one of us!"

Everyone is in a standoff. Larraq finally realizes that something is not quite right on the ship but when he asks about it everyone tells him to shut up. Thonn says that the virus cannot re-enter anyone it has previously infected so John and Chiana are safe. The two of them move to one side.

John realizes that they are somewhat safe as long as everyone continues to point guns at everyone else since the virus would be killed if it tried anything. He asks Zhaan if she can create an antibody for the virus and she says that she can.

Everyone retreats to Zhaan's lab/apothecary and she starts work. John sees Hassan's body and is upset but Chiana reminds him that it really wasn't him who killed her. Zhaan says she is mixing a solution with a high alkaline level. Since the virus causes an acidic reaction she thinks the high level of alkali will disrupt it.

She injects herself first and, since there is no reaction, they assume she is safe. John takes the injector and injects Aeryn and Thonn, both of whom are also safe.

Thonn yells that D'Argo must be carrying the virus but John says they still aren't sure. He goes to inject D'Argo but Larraq shoots at him and flees the room, revealing himself to be carrying the virus. Everyone chases after him.

Larraq is waiting in ambush and he jumps onto Aeryn as she comes by. Thonn tries to help her and Larraq shoots him. He then pulls a knife and holds it on Aeryn as the others arrive. He tells them that he knows they are trying to escape and if they let him get back to the Marauder so he can go to the Gammak base he will leave them alone.

D'Argo points out that if the virus is able to spawn it could contaminate thousands before they are able to stop it.
"I'm sorry." says Larraq. "Is that a problem?"

Aeryn yells for the others to shoot.
Larraq looks down at her. "You know, this Larraq guy, he really liked you. A lot."

Larraq stabs Aeryn then flees. John runs to Aeryn but D'Argo tells him to go after Larraq since the virus can't reinfect him. John hesitates but runs after Larraq with Chiana. D'Argo yells into his comm for Zhaan.

Chiana jumps onto Larraq's back and he throws her off, but not before she grabs the ident chip from his belt. She follows him into the landing bay and yells for Pilot to close the doors. John runs in right after her and countermands her, telling Pilot to let the Marauder leave and to prepare for Starburst. Pilot tells John that Moya can't Starburst but John says all he needs is for Moya to start the first stage of Starburst, she doesn't have to enter.

The Marauder leaves and Moya starts the Starburst. The energy discharge ignites the fuel leaking from the Marauder and it explodes.
"Boom." says John.

Later, D'Argo and Zhaan are freeing Rygel from stasis. D'Argo tells Rygel he got what he deserved but Zhaan says he has learned his lesson.

John is in Aeryn's cabin watching her. She wakes up and he tells her that they were afraid that she wasn't going to make it for a while. He also tells her that the virus and Larraq are dead.
"He stabbed me, didn't he?" she asks.
"Yeah. You got lucky." John replies. "He missed your heart."
"Closer than you think." Aeryn says sadly.

John tells her that they are heading away from the Gammak base as fast as they can, especially since they don't know what it is there for. She asks him why he is in her cabin.

John is suddenly uncomfortable. "Oh, I just wanted to... um... um... be there..." he stutters.
Aeryn smiles. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." he responds.
Aeryn looks at him curiously. "Why would I ever mention it?"

There are few direct references to events in earlier episodes but the references to prisoners, cells, the uniforms used by Aeryn and John and so on are from the time when Moya was a prison transport as described in Premiere, and a Marauder has previously landed on Moya in Exodus From Genesis.

Rygel previously revealed he had a secret way out of his cell in DNA Mad Scientist.

The title of the episode is probably from the Disney/Pixar movie of the same name.

Where did the virus come from? Are there more out there? Is it really destroyed?

How did John know that Zhaan had said she could create an antidote? When she first mentions it, he is under the control of the virus and locks her in her cell before going to kill Hassan. Later, after the virus leaves him, he asks Zhaan if she really could create an antidote. If the virus' host loses the memories of what it did while under the virus' control, how did he remember Zhaan talking about the antidote?

At the end, everyone knows John and Chiana were safe because the virus cannot reinfect anyone it has already been in. What about Thonn? He had carried the virus too but they apparently don't trust him and John injects him with the antidote like the others. Did they not realize that he had carried the virus?

Why does Zhaan have litmus fibers in her bedspread anyway? That was certainly convenient. Maybe it's a Delvian thing.

And, just what is that Peacekeeper Gammak base doing out here in the Uncharted Territories?

Lots of action going on in A Bugs Life and we get to see more of what the Peacekeepers have been up to. Still, there was time for some interesting developments.

Apparently everyone is now confident enough in John that they let him run the plan this time. D'Argo, Zhaan and Rygel even let themselves be locked up again. They do argue with him a bit along the way but for the most part let him run things, only breaking from the plan once things have gone completely awry.

We learn a bit more about Chiana in this episode. Previously she had indicated that she was a thief and here we see that she is quick to take advantage of an opportunity. She almost immediately sets out to break into the crate and sets out to do so with a clear plan. She doesn't know what it is, but whatever is in there is something she wants. She also takes the opportunity to steal Larraq's ident chip even during the struggle with the virus. A clear opportunist.

Rygel also reveals his opportunistic side in this episode. He sneaks out of his cell and tries to get into the crate almost as fast as Chiana. Of course, she had a key and he didn't. Chiana and Rygel apparently got to know each other's personalities in Through the Looking Glass and now seem to be able to work together. They certainly agreed to a 50/50 split of the crates contents fast enough.

There was a bit of insight into John's personality here too. The original plan apparently was to lull the Peacekeepers into a false sense of security then attack them at the best opportunity. D'Argo and Zhaan seem upset when John starts delaying and Aeryn chides him over their losing the element of surprise.

Why was John delaying? He says it is because he wants to find out more about the Gammak base but is that really it? Consider how upset he is over the death of Hassan. He is apparently affected by it, enough that Chiana tries to comfort him over it, even though he was under the control of the virus at the time and cannot remember what he did. Could it be that John is still uncomfortable about the idea of killing someone in cold blood? We know he has fought back when someone has attacked him before but he seems to be uncomfortable with killing someone unprovoked, even when that someone is a Peacekeeper. Perhaps he was trying to find another way out of the situation without having to kill the Peacekeepers and that is why he kept delaying.

Of course, the virus solved his problem for him and he had no qualms about killing the virus at the end. But was that the only way out? If they could have captured Larraq then they could have tried Zhaan's antidote on him to see what happened. True, there may have been no way to know for sure if the antidote had worked, as he alluded to in the episode while controlled by the virus, but given his discomfort over killing that we just discussed it seems odd that he didn't consider the other possibility. Pilot may have been able to close the doors in time but he overrode Chiana's command and let the Marauder escape, leaving no choice but to destroy it.

Maybe he had another reason for getting rid of Larraq. Larraq had an interest in Aeryn; he hinted at it himself and the virus told Aeryn directly. It also seems that Aeryn may have had some reciprocal interest in Larraq as well. She seemed genuinely pleased when he suggested that she join his unit. We know Aeryn misses her life in the Peacekeepers. She expresses her loss to Gilina in PK Tech Girl and tells John it was nice to pretend that she could go back in Till the Blood Runs Clear. She may have seen Larraq's offer as a way back.

There is another hint as well. Consider the exchange at the end. John says "He missed your heart." to which she replies "Closer than you think." There is a possible double meaning here. She of course was referring to her actual heart and this is probably what John meant. But she could also have meant her heart in a metaphorical sense as well. Larraq was close to winning her over, closer than John realized.

There is a bit of an echo here from an exchange in PK Tech Girl. There, Aeryn complains about being ambushed, John tells her "You got him in the end" and Aeryn replies "I wasn't talking about the Sheyang." There, she was obviously referring to the situation between her, John and Gilina. There may have been a similar undercurrent here.

A Bugs Life is a quite good episode, and the events here directly set up the season-ending arc that is to come.