2.18 - A Clockwork Nebari

John and Chiana return from a planet to find that Moya has been captured by the Nebari. It seems that the Nebari consider Chiana to be dangerous to their master plan and they are willing to Mind-Cleanse the entire crew to get to her. Things aren't looking good, but John gets aid from a surprising source.

Yes, I know. You can kick, kiss or cry your way out of any situation. I just wish you would stop getting into them. - John Crichton

Something's not right. Aeryn doesn't even shower without her pulse pistol. - Chiana

It is either mind-cleansing or death. - Varla
Hey, isn't that against your Nebari Prime Directive? - John Crichton

You, me and Pilot are the only ones who aren't Nebari puppets. - John Crichton
I'm nobody's puppet! - Dominar Rygel XVI

Your brother's alive. He's alive. Take that. It's more than you had yesterday. - John Crichton
I want to go to him! - Chiana
I know. But since when do people like us get what we want? - John Crichton

A transport pod arrives on Moya and John and Chiana exit. John is angry at Chiana and argues with her while trying to fix his pulse pistol, which we learn he has named "Winona". Chiana says that D'Argo will be happy that she got the information on the slave auction but John says he will not be happy when he learns what she did to get it. He also says that they barely got her out after things turned ugly and that Aeryn and Rygel will not be happy about the fact that they had to stay behind to cover their exit.

Another pod arrives and Aeryn and Rygel exit, smiling. Chiana goes to Aeryn expecting to be yelled at but Aeryn instead apologizes for not taking better care of her. Chiana notes that Aeryn isn't wearing her pulse pistol and John, sensing that something is wrong, tells he to go get D'Argo. She starts to leave but is stopped by Rygel who tells her that they have a surprise for her.

Varla, a badly injured Nebari, exits the pod. Chiana yells that Aeryn and Rygel are mind-cleansed and attempts to run but Aeryn grabs her. John pulls Winona and attempts to shoot Varla but it misfires. Aeryn shoves Chiana into John and Varla stuns them with some type of weapon.

Yet another ship docks and is met by Aeryn and Varla. Another Nebari, Meelak, exits. He too seems to have been injured. He asks if Chiana is there and if the ship is under control and Varla answers yes to both questions.

Aeryn and Varla are in Pilot's Den and Aeryn is placing some type of collar around Pilot's neck, much to Pilot's displeasure. Pilot hits Aeryn, knocking her to the ground. Varla touches two metal studs on her forehead and the collar causes Pilot pain. She then apologies to Pilot, saying that his species is immune to mind-cleansing and so they must use the collar. She then gives Pilot a disc which contains the coordinates of the nearest Nebari outpost and tells him to head there. She almost passes out and Aeryn lowers her to the deck. Aeryn explains that Varla's ship was attacked by a Peacekeeper patrol and so they must be careful.

Pilot says that if a Peacekeeper patrol is in the area then they must Starburst immediately. Varla activates his collar again and tells him that if he attempts Starburst then the collar will automatically inject him with a fatal dose. She then repeats that they need to get to the outpost as quickly as possible.
"Please do so, Pilot." says Aeryn with a smile. "We would not like to lose you."

Elsewhere, Chiana, D'Argo and John are in a cell. D'Argo and John are wearing collars similar to the one on Pilot while Chiana is chained and hanging by her wrists in the center of the room.

John asks how everyone is mind-cleansed if it takes 100 cycles and Chiana tells him it is drug-induced and temporary but doesn't work on Nebari. He then asks why the Nebari are after her but she won't answer.

Meelak and Zhaan arrive and D'Argo manages to grab Meelak. He yells for Zhaan to help but instead she uses Meelak's control to activate D'Argo's and John's collars. They fall to the deck in pain.

Elsewhere, Aeryn is using a device to close a wound in Varla's abdomen. She asks why Chiana is so important and Varla tells her that the Nebari have launched a massive plan to eliminate improper and aggressive behavior and that Chiana threatens the plan. Aeryn expresses surprise and Varla says the threat will be over soon.

Back in the cell only John and Chiana remain. John again tries to get Chiana to tell him what is going on and she again refuses. John grabs her and says that everyone on Moya has secrets and that they can keep them, until someone comes to scramble his brain. He asks again and she reluctantly agrees.

She tells him that she and her brother, Nerri, escaped from Nebari Prime. Later, they found out that they had been allowed to leave.

Flashback: Chiana and Nerri are in what looks like an abandoned room in a building towering high over a city. Chiana is lying on the floor and shaking in pain. Nerri tells her that it is painful but when it ends she will be cleared of the "contagion".

He then tells her that the person who gave him the antidote is an official high up in the establishment. Since he can identify the person, the other Nebari will be after him. He tells her they will be safer if they split up. Chiana insists that she wants to come with him but he tells her that she cannot but promises that they will see each other again someday.

Chiana tells John that they had been infected with a disease and allowed to leave so that they would spread it though the galaxy. The disease was spread through carnal contact and she admits that she and Nerri did a good job of spreading it. John asks why she never told them before and she says she was afraid they would not let her stay on Moya if they knew what her people were up to.

John speculates that they are after her so that they can use her to get to her brother. She reminds him that her brother is dead. John is interrupted from further conversation by the arrival of Meelak who uses his controls to activate John's collar and knock him out.

When John awakens, he is strapped in front of a machine. The machine is pulling his eyelids open, revealing his entire eyeball. D'Argo is present and, almost in tears, he apologizes to John for the things he has said and done.

John tells the Nebari that they could just lock him up but Varla tells him he must either be mind-cleansed or killed.
"Doesn't that violate your Nebari Prime Directive?" he asks.
"We are in difficult times." replies Varla. "I'm afraid we must do whatever is necessary to serve the greater good."

She activates the machine and John screams as his eyes are pulled from their sockets. Small devices are attached to his optic nerves and he eyes are returned to his head. Varla tells him the patches will release a chemical directly into his brain and that he should feel the effects almost immediately.

Some time later, Meelak leads Chiana into the galley where Varla and Rygel are eating. Chiana says she doesn't want anything to eat but Rygel offers her his plate anyway.

Varla asks Chiana about Nerri and Chiana tells her that he is dead. Meelak tells her she is wrong and places a small chip on the table. It displays a holographic image of Nerri firing a pair of pulse pistols. Meelak then tells her that the recording was from two weeks ago when Nerri led an assault on a Nebari convoy.

Meelak tells Chiana that other Nebari like her and Nerri have been spreading the contagion for almost 20 cycles and that, very soon, it will affect everyone who has been infected all on the same day. Chiana laughs and Varla tells her that enough people will have been infected to throw entire civilizations into chaos and unable to resist the Nebari when they arrive.

Varla asks Chiana where Nerri is and she says she does not know. Varla then says that they will simply use her to get to him and she throws herself at Varla. Varla activates her collar and she falls to the floor.

John is staggering through Moya seeing flashes of Scorpius telling him to resist and to "frell the greater good!" He enters Pilot's Den and Pilot, somewhat annoyed, tells him not to bother trying to convince him that the Nebari are doing the right thing.
"No, Pilot." he says. "I'm here to tell you that the Nebari are a bunch of geeks! And, their damn mind-cleansing doesn't work on Momma Crichton's baby boy! John Crichton, astronaut! Master of the universe!" He hops up onto Pilot's console and sits down. "Pilot, it's me."

Pilot is surprised but glad that John is unaffected. John tells him of the Nebari plan to take over the galaxy and Pilot tells him that they are on the way to a Nebari outpost but that he cannot change course as Aeryn comes by to check on him often. He also tells him of the Peacekeeper patrol in the area. John says he cannot get the collar off Pilot without help and leaves.

John goes to Chiana's cell where he finds Varla. Chiana is once again chained up. John, talking like a southern California slacker, tells Varla there is a problem with Moya that he is trying to fix. Varla thanks him and leaves.

He then tries to talk to Chiana but she will not believe that he isn't mind-cleansed until he slaps her. She then nearly breaks down in relief that she isn't alone. John asks how the mind-cleansing can be broken, as Durka was able to do, and she tells him that temporary mind-cleansing is drug induced and must be metabolized. She also points out that Rygel has three stomachs and John leaves.

John finds Rygel still eating. After a brief conversation Rygel admits that he is no longer cleansed and is surprised to find out that John is not either. John tries to get Rygel to help him but Rygel wants nothing to do with it.

Meelak enters and overhears the last of the conversation and Rygel yells that John isn't mind-cleansed. John hits him and Meelak observes that he obviously isn't.

Meelak leads John to Chiana's cell at gunpoint then surprises both of them by giving his gun to John. He takes a small chip from his pocket and, saying that it can only be activated by contact with her DNA, swipes it over Chiana's lip then places it on a table.

The chip displays an image of Nerri, who addresses Chiana and tells her that whoever gave her the chip is a member of the resistance with him. He admits that he is helping the resistance but that it is dangerous work and that he wants her to stay safe but that he wanted her to know he was alive and well. He also says that whoever gave her the chip was told to not tell her where he is.

The recording ends and Chiana begs Meelak to take her to Nerri but Meelak refuses, citing Nerri's request. He also says that he has vital information for the rebellion and that he plans to leave as soon as they get to the outpost. Unfortunately he cannot do anything for Chiana and the others without jeopardizing his cover. John and Chiana argue with him but he insists that there is nothing he can do.

Later, John is speaking with Pilot. They come up with a plan to make the Nebari think that the Peacekeeper patrol they encountered earlier has returned. Pilot will use recordings of earlier encounters and play them on the forward display to appear as an attack. He also says that all of the DRDs are shut down so he will need John to make some connections for him. John says he will need help and leaves.

John enters the maintenance bay looking for Rygel. He finds him hiding in a box and pulls him out then slams him onto a table. He tells Rygel that he is tired of him selling them out all the time but Rygel responds that he doesn't think they can get away from the Nebari.

John tells Rygel that he needs his help and Rygel refuses. John then begins to say loudly in his slacker voice that Rygel isn't cleansed. Rygel then agrees to help.

Aeryn arrives asking what the shouting was about and John says that he was just looking for Rygel to help him fix a problem with the amnexus system. Aeryn says that D'Argo was working on the system but John says that D'Argo had gotten sick and that he was taking over from him. He picks up Rygel and, placing him on his shoulders, carries him from the room, hitting Rygel's head on the door frame in the process.

Back in Chiana's cell, John explains his and Pilot's plan and asks Chiana to give him a half-arn then get Varla to Command.

Elsewhere, Aeryn encounters D'Argo and asks how he is feeling. D'Argo says he is fine and Aeryn suddenly looks suspicious.

John and Rygel are working on rewiring the system when Pilot announces that Chiana is on Command with the other Nebari but that he has nothing to show them. John is frustrated because they aren't ready yet.

Aeryn and D'Argo arrive and demand to know what John and Rygel are up to. John continues to insist that he is working on the amnexus system but D'Argo says that he just checked the system so John must be lying and must therefore not be cleansed. He and Aeryn threaten him and tell them to stop what they are doing.

John seems to give in and tells Rygel to drop what he is working on. Rygel seems confused until he sees John lift his feet from the floor. He then drops the cable he is holding. The cable electrifies the floor and both Aeryn and D'Argo are knocked unconscious.
"Bitchin' man." says John.
"Bitchin'." agrees Rygel.

On Command, Chiana has told Varla and Meelak that she knows where Nerri is and offers to lead them to him. Varla is demanding to know his location when John enters and says that they are being attacked by a Peacekeeper squadron.

Moya begins to shake from simulated impacts and Pilot begins giving damage reports while images of Prowlers and Marauders flash by on the forward monitor. Chiana struggles with Varla but Varla activates her collar. John keeps asking Varla to release Pilot's collar so that they can escape but Varla refuses.

An image of Crais appears on the forward monitor and demands that they surrender. Varla says that if the Peacekeepers get to Chiana then she will lead them to Nerri and the Peacekeepers will began to support the resistance. Despite John's protests, she indicates that she will kill Chiana before that can happen. John asks Meelak to intervene but he will not.

To save Chiana, John admits that the attack is faked. Varla does not believe him at first and Pilot seems reluctant to break off the simulated attack but eventually he ends the simulation. The other craft disappear from the monitor and the "explosions" cease. Varla then activates John's collar and he falls to the floor.

Chiana lunges at Varla and they fall onto the console. Varla gains the upper hand and is trying to strangle Chiana when Meelak finally steps forward and shoots Varla. She falls to the deck.
"You betrayed me!" she gasps in shock.
"And you have betrayed the spirit of our people." he tells her.
Varla stares at him for a moment then slumps to the deck and dies.

John thanks Meelak for his help and Meelak, seemingly stunned, says that he did what he had to do. Pilot then asks what everyone thought of his simulation and John says that he did great.

Later, Aeryn, D'Argo and Zhaan are in a cell. Rygel appears and D'Argo angrily demands to be let out. Rygel says that they cannot do so until they are sure that all of them are no longer mind-cleansed. D'Argo, still angry, says that he cannot stay in the cell while the slave auction with his son is nearby and even Zhaan seems angry to be there. Aeryn, holding her now removed collar, stares at him sullenly. Rygel tells them that they are already on their way to the auction.
"There's nothing left for you to do but stay in there and metabolize." he tells them, seeming to enjoy the situation.

In the hanger bay, Meelak is heading for the Nebari ship when Chiana intercepts him. She insists that he take her to her brother but he says he cannot. He says that if he limps across the border into Nebari space and reports that everyone else was killed in the Peacekeeper attack then they might believe him but that he cannot take her with him.

John arrives and tells Chiana that Meelak is right; if she went with him she would be recognized and arrested. While they speak, Meelak slips away.
"Nerri is alive." Chiana says, voice cracking. "I just gotta... I wanna to see him."
"I understand." John tells her. "But you can't compromise what he's doing. Your brother is alive. He's alive. Take that. It's more than you had yesterday."
"I want to go to him." she continues.
"I know." says John. "But since when do people like us get what we want?"

The engines on the Nebari ship start up and both turn to watch as it leaves Moya. Chiana begins to cry and John pulls her to him in comfort. Then, still holding her, he leads her from the bay.

Chiana first came aboard as a Nebari prisoner in Durka Returns. This is also when we first learn of Nebari mind-cleansing.

We first hear of Chiana's brother in Taking the Stone when she believes him to have died. He is also mentioned in Home on the Remains.

Chiana tells John that she can "kiss, kick or cry her way out of any situation" in Through the Looking Glass.

The information that D'Argo's son was being sold in a slave auction was brought by Stark in The Locket.

We learn about the mental clone of Scorpius, which helped John throw off the effects of the mind-cleansing, in Won't Get Fooled Again though John himself does not remember anything about it. The clone was implanted by Scorpius during John's time in the Aurora Chair in Nerve and The Hidden Memory.

The title of the episode (and several events in it) are obviously inspired by the movie A Clockwork Orange.

In Taking the Stone Chiana thinks that her brother is dead because his life disc stopped working. Here, we learn he is still alive. Why did his life disc quit working? Did he remove or disable it somehow? Given his obvious attachment to his sister (and hers to him), didn't he realize how this would affect her?

How much do the Peacekeepers know about the Nebari? Are they aware of the Nebari plan?

Way back in the very first episode of Farscape we were introduced to most of our main characters. We knew a little bit about them at the time but over the course of the past two seasons we have learned that we didn't know as much about them as we thought. We learned of D'Argo's murdered wife and son in They've Got a Secret, of Zhaan's true crime in Rhapsody in Blue and of the dark secrets in Aeryn's past in The Way We Weren't. In each case, we learned that these characters were more complex than we thought and that all of them had secrets; secrets they were reluctant to admit even to those who had become their friends.

In A Clockwork Nebari, it became Chiana's turn.

We really hadn't known that much about Chiana before. We knew she had come aboard as a Nebari prisoner (in Durka Returns) but we never really discovered why she was a prisoner in the first place. True, it was implied that she was a thief but perhaps we should have looked at that implication a bit more closely. After all, no one else on Moya was imprisoned for the reason they claimed they were; why should Chiana be any different?

Now the truth has been revealed. The Nebari were after Chiana because she knows of their Master Plan™ and because they think she can lead them to her brother.

Chiana, she says, did not tell them of this before because she was afraid that they wouldn't let her stay on board Moya if she did. She says she was afraid of their reaction on finding out the plans her people had for the rest of the galaxy but it may also have been because of her own (unwilling) part of that plan. As she herself admits, she and her brother had done a "very good job" of spreading the contagion.

And she may not have been wrong in that thought. Consider how the crew treats Aeryn in The Way We Weren't. They had known Aeryn for almost a cycle but they still almost rejected her when they found out her involvement in the death of Moya's original Pilot. Chiana may not have killed anyone (well, maybe Salis though we may never know the truth there) but she had helped spread a contagion which could possibly cause far more damage. True, she may not have known she was doing so but it could be argued that Aeryn had no choice in what she did either. So, perhaps she was right to keep her secret.

We also learn some things about Chiana's people, the Nebari, in this episode. We had known before that they valued "order" in their society and that they used "Mind Cleansing" to turn criminals and the like into "productive citizens". The one example of this we saw was Durka, where they had turned him from a violent psychopath into someone helpful and peaceful. (Well, until Rygel's bomb broke his conditioning anyway...) In this case, it appeared as if Mind Cleansing was a good thing.

We also knew that the Nebari were apparently enemies of the Peacekeepers and, based on the idea that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" then that made them the good guys.

Well, like so many other things in Farscape, that first impression turns out to be wrong. The Nebari are now revealed to be a ruthless, totalitarian state with the goal of taking over the galaxy and perfectly willing to sacrifice any number of their own people in order to achieve that goal.

Almost make the Peacekeepers look friendly, don't they?

In the end it is once again John who saves the day, again with a bit of help from the mental clone of Scorpius. Odd to think that the crew owes their safety to Scorpius.

One other minor point. Gigi Edgley does an excellent job playing Chiana. Her body movements and mannerisms easily make her seem "alien".

Unfortunately, none of the other characters playing Nebari have managed to imitate her performance. In this episode Skye Wansey (Varla) did bob her head the way Chiana does on one or two occasions but that was about it. Malcolm Kennard (Meelak) didn't even seem to try. It is unfortunate that Gigi Edgley can do such a believable performance every week but no one else is ever able to imitate it.

Overall, A Clockwork Nebari is another excellent episode.