3.02 - Suns and Lovers

A routine stop at a space station turns into a rescue when a storm destroys most of the facility. The crew mounts a rescue attempt but things are complicated by D'Argo's discovery of Chiana and Jothee's affair and John's discovery that the storm was directed by a vengeful entity who is now directing a second storm to finish the job.

Are you Crichton?
No, he's not. And we don't know who this "Cretin" is.
I heard he destroyed a Peacekeeper Gammak Base, murdered an entire Nebari battalion and even laid waste to a Shadow Depository. He was a devil. He raped, he pillaged, he popped eyeballs...
Whoa! Where do they get these stories? Let's set the facts straight. First off, there was no raping, very little pillaging and Frau Bleucher popped all the eyeballs. --- Borlik, Aeryn Sun, John Crichton

So, you here to kill someone? Can I help? --- Borlik

Keep your lips shut!
You do the same with your legs! --- Chiana, Dominar Rygel XVI

In the Peacekeepers, it was common practice to... ah... reduce fluid levels.
Fluid levels? Like what? Like Valvoline, like brake fluid?
Like sex. We can have sex if you want. It would... relieve the tension.
You know what? I got two hands; I can alternate. I can release all the tension I want. I don't need your charity.
And I don't need your emotions. But we can have sex if you want. --- Aeryn Sun, John Crichton

I'm an expert on dying. I'm just not an expert on you dying. --- Stark

Do you know what you did? You betrayed the one person on this ship who would have done anything for you. Both of you! He would have died for you! --- John Crichton

Somewhere on Moya, Rygel is watching a small monitor. On it we see Chiana, obviously "recreating" with someone. Rygel smiles.

Moya is docked with a large space station. On the station, John is in a bar and is drunkenly trying to explain to the bartender Moordil how they now have lots of money and Scorpius is no longer in his head but they have to take Zhaan somewhere so she can be healed. The bartender has no idea what he is talking about.

D'Argo arrives and excitedly shows John some "union tattoos" he has bought. They are for him and Chiana; he plans to ask her to marry him. John is dubious and asks if D'Argo has talked to Chiana about this yet; saying that "she could say no". D'Argo dismisses the idea.

On Moya, Chiana and Jothee are in the cargo bay in which the Interon cryo-pods are stored. They are lying under a blanket together. Jothee asks why they are there and Chiana says that since the room is cold it is unlikely that D'Argo will come in and find them if he returns from the station early. Jothee says that he is cold too and Chiana offers to warm him up again.

Aeryn arrives in the bar, as do Stark and Zhaan. Zhaan is weak and Stark attempts to help her but she angrily reminds him that she isn't an invalid; she is dying. John goes to Aeryn and they both agree that Zhaan is looking worse. John looks through Aeryn's bag and learns that she has been buying guns.

Borlik, a member of the station's security force, arrives and asks John if he is "the" John Crichton and starts listing various events attributed to him. At first everyone says they don't know who she is talking about but eventually John admits it is him. Borlik seems pleased and, saying that those on the station don't like Peacekeepers either, tells the bartender to give all of Moya's crew their drinks for free.

All through this time, the station has vibrated occasionally. The bartender has said that this is due to "gamma disturbances", a type of space storm, but that they were not a danger. At this point, another massive storm hits. Everyone is thrown about and part of the ceiling collapses.

Moments later the bar has been all but destroyed. John and D'Argo free Aeryn from under some debris. The bartender is injured and Zhaan rushes to help. John asks if it was a bomb but the bartender says it was a storm.

Aeryn contacts Pilot who says that Moya was thrown into the docking ring and that three hatches have ruptured. D'Argo leaves to check on Moya.

Pilot calls for Chiana, who runs out of the cryochamber while "adjusting her clothing". Jothee calls her back and points out that one of the Interons is moving and worries that it saw them. Chiana tells him to stay there with the Interon and leaves.

She runs into Rygel who is taking medical supplies to Zhaan. He calls her a slut and she demands to know what he means. He says he heard her and Jothee in the cryochamber.

She tells him not to say anything to D'Argo and he points out that he won't have to; D'Argo can smell Jothee on her. She warns him again and leaves.

Outside in a transport pod, D'Argo reports that three of the station's five modules have been destroyed and that Moya is entangled in some cabling. Pilot says that he will try to free Moya. D'Argo says that there is a small ship near Moya and asks that it be taken on board by the docking web.

Inside the station, Zhaan tells Moordil that he is impaled by a beam and that it has pierced a major artery. Moordil seems to think it doesn't matter; there are hundreds dead throughout the station anyway.

Borlik tells them that the station is cursed. Moordil dismisses what she says as nonsense, but she tells them that the station was built in what the locals call the "Sacred Stillness"; where their gods were born. There used to be three stations but one was destroyed by asteroids and one by fire. Now, the storms are destroying the third. She says the storms have been getting worse and seem to be aiming for them. Aeryn says that there is no way to aim a storm.

Back on Moya, the Interon in the cryochamber has woken up. He and Jothee talk briefly. The Interon says that he and another Interon were looking for a tomb when they got sick and "Jool" found them. Jothee is more interested in if the Interon saw or heard anything before he woke up. The Interon vomits all over Jothee before collapsing. Jothee yells for Chiana.

Chiana is attempting to shut one of the jammed hatches when Jothee calls. She manages to get it shut. She looks through the hatch and sees a child waving for help through a window on the station.

Moordil says that the child must be in a nursery on a lower level, a place where parents could leave their children while shopping at the station. Borlik says there is no way to get to it but Moordil thinks they can reach the nursery through the waste conduits. Aeryn and John head off.

On Moya, Chiana and Jothee are in the cryochamber with the dead Interon. Chiana accuses Jothee of killing him but Jothee denies it.

They are interrupted by a call from D'Argo who wants them to meet the ship he discovered when it is brought into the hanger bay and make sure it isn't dangerous. Chiana agrees. Before she leaves, she tells Jothee to go bathe. He asks why and she points out that he can smell her scent all over him, which means D'Argo can as well. She leaves.

Aeryn and John are making their way through some service tunnels when Aeryn suddenly wants to talk about the situation between the two of them. She says that the tension caused by living and working close together can cause problems and suggests that they "reduce fluid levels". When John asks what she means she says that they can have sex if he wants.

John seems both startled and uncomfortable at this and tells her that he can reduce tension on his own and that he doesn't need her charity. She responds that she doesn't need his emotions either.

She turns to face him and suddenly opens her vest, exposing herself to him. Before he can react, however, the floor beneath her gives away and she falls into a lower tunnel.

John looks down and discovers that she is uninjured. He wants to go get help to get her out but she says she thinks she is in the waste conduits that Moordil was talking about and that she will continue on to find the trapped child. John yells for her to wait but she leaves. He is further interrupted by a call from Pilot, who tells him that the last storm made a 90° turn to hit them and that another storm is on its way.

Some time later, John is back in the bar and telling everyone what Pilot found. He also says that the second storm is bigger than the first and will hit them in two arns. Rygel says that the station can't withstand another storm and suggests running. Zhaan points out that she can't free Moordil and that she can't leave him and John says that they still have time for Aeryn to reach and rescue the trapped child.

He then tells everyone that the storms are being attracted by a flux broadcast from somewhere inside the station. Everyone seems surprised at first but Moordil and Borlik finally admit that there is a group known as the Kampeks, who are either religious zealots or holy warriors, who consider this area of space sacred and they are probably the ones responsible.

They realize that if they destroy the source of the broadcast the storms will quit hitting them but they only have two arns to search the entire station. John says he has an idea and leaves.

Meanwhile, back on Moya, D'Argo, Chiana and Jothee are examining a strange ship. D'Argo attempts to enter but the ship is surrounded by a force field and none of them can determine how to get through it.

D'Argo smells something on Jothee who, after protesting to Chiana that he bathed twice, admits that he used a scented soap. D'Argo jokes that he smells good and Jothee, offended, leaves.

D'Argo then attempts to apologize to Chiana and says he has something he wants to talk to her about but she becomes evasive and says she needs to help Pilot with the other two jammed hatches. D'Argo thinks she is angry with him but she says she has to leave and does so. After she leaves, D'Argo sniffs the air several times.

John has apparently carried a number of Moya's DRDs onto the station and is having them search for the source of the signal. Stark and Zhaan are attempting to get "old one-eye" working but Stark is more worried about Zhaan. She removes her hood to reveal that her head is covered in sores. Stark is concerned that she is worsening rapidly. She tells him that he should be used to death and he responds that he is; just not hers.

Still in the waste conduits, Aeryn hears a distant cry for help and follows it.

Back on Moya, Chiana and Jothee are back in the cryochamber. They are talking about D'Argo and trying to decide if he knows or if they should tell him about their encounter.

D'Argo appears in the doorway and ask what they are talking about. They try to convince him that they were talking about telling John about the dead Interon but both are looking guilty and it is obvious they are lying. They start to leave but D'Argo sniffs and says he smells something.

Jothee panics and the secret is out. D'Argo becomes angry and advances on Jothee. Chiana tries to stop him but he shoves her aside. He pulls one of the union tattoos out and, pulling up Jothee's shirt, burns it into his stomach. He then shoves Jothee aside. Chiana tries to explain but he tells her that he never wants to speak to either of them again and starts to leave.

He stops in the doorway, sniffs, and announces that what he smelled before was a burned out relay in the cryochamber. He leaves.

On the station, Stark and Zhaan have gotten "old one-eye" working again. It immediately starts beeping. John and Borlik enter and Stark tells them that the signal is coming from the room they are in. Using the DRD as a detector, he determines that the signal is coming from Borlik! She immediately starts chanting, her eyes turn pure white and she floats upwards and attaches herself to the ceiling.

John tries to pull Borlik off the ceiling but cannot. She stops chanting long enough to tell them they will all die. Rygel suggests killing her but Moordil says that the pipe she has attached herself to carries hyper-cold gas and if it ruptured then all of them would be killed. Rygel head-butts her a few times before shoving a gag in her mouth.

John determines that the pipe Borlik is attached to is made of "hydro-steel". He surmises that she has somehow magnetized herself to it and suggests that if they could find a larger piece of hydro-steel on Moya it may pull her away from the pipe. Pilot says he will check Moya's inventory.

John then contacts Aeryn and says they may have to abandon the trapped child. Aeryn, still following the sound of the child's voice, refuses.

Pilot calls back and says that the cryo-pods are lined with hydro-steel and can be used. John wants to put Borlik on Moya and have her lead the storm away from the station. Pilot reports that Moya is still tangled up in the station's cables. John says he will come get the cryo-pod and suggests that D'Argo work on clearing the cables.

Pilot reports that he cannot raise D'Argo; he isn't answering his comm. John wonders why and Rygel says that he may know.

Some time later, John arrives in the galley on Moya to find an obviously drunk D'Argo sitting in the dark. D'Argo asks if John knew and if he knew when he showed him the union tattoos earlier. John says he didn't know then but that Rygel has told him.

John tries to convince D'Argo that they need him to remove the cables. D'Argo all but refuses, suggesting that Chiana and Jothee do it since they enjoy working together. John tries to appeal to him, saying that they need him. The two become more and more angry and it looks as if they are both ready to fight each other.

Later, John and Chiana are pushing the cryo-pod through a corridor. John demands to know what Chiana and Jothee were thinking and she admits that they weren't. John, angry, tells her that the two of them betrayed the one person on the ship who would have done anything for either of them.

Meanwhile, a still very angry and drunk D'Argo has made his way to an airlock and tells Pilot he is going outside. Pilot seems surprised but tells him that he has created an inertial field and atmosphere outside of Moya. D'Argo mentions that he has a breathing mask if he needs it then tells Pilot "goodbye".

John is back on the station with the cryo-pod. As predicted, when they place it under Borlik she is pulled free of the pipe and into the cryo-pod. She yells at them as they close the door on her. John says he will take her back to Moya then go outside to free the cables. Pilot, surprised, tells him that D'Argo is already doing so.

D'Argo clears most of the debris then goes to remove two cables that Pilot tells him are still charged. Chiana tells him to wait for John but he ignores her. John then tells him to wait but D'Argo says he is just doing what John told him to do. He tells John goodbye then touches the two cables together. There is an explosion and D'Argo is blown away from Moya and hangs motionless at the end of a safety line.

John gets the cryo-pod holding Borlik into the hanger bay then goes after D'Argo. Chiana and Jothee both try to come with him but he says that they would slow him down and he doesn't want to have to rescue them too. Wearing a space suit, he goes outside.

Despite pleas from both Chiana and Jothee, John first goes to free some more debris. Moya is jolted by the approaching storm and he is thrown from her surface but manages to grab one of the cables.

Aeryn finds the entrance to the nursery and tries to open it but it is sealed. She calls Moordil asking what the access code is but he dies before he is able to respond. Frustrated, she pulls out the gun she purchased earlier and shoots the hatch with it, blowing it open. She enters the nursery and finds not one but four children.

John is back on the surface of Moya and is again attempting to free the cable. Again Moya is jolted and he is again flung from her surface. This time he cannot grab hold of anything but, at the last moment, he is grabbed by D'Argo. The two return to Moya and together throw the last cable free.

John starts to head back inside but notices that D'Argo has sat down on Moya's surface. John goes and sits beside him, saying that if D'Argo won't go back in then he won't either.

Aeryn is leading the children back through the waste conduit. The station is shaking violently and she tells Zhaan that if the storm hits the station then none of them will make it.

Back on Moya, John and D'Argo return though the airlock. Chiana and Jothee both rush to D'Argo, who seems injured, but he tells them to go away and never speak to him again.

Moya, now free, is moving away from the station. John goes to the hanger bay only to find that Borlik is no longer in the cryo-pod. He finds her stuck to a hatch and she tells him that she has reconfigured her magnetics. She also says that they will never cut her free in time.

John, seemingly unconcerned, starts to walk away. At first he says that she outsmarted them, then points out that the hatch she is stuck to is detachable. He leaves the room and tells Pilot to jettison the hatch. Pilot, laughing maniacally, does so. Borlik screams as the hatch is blown free of Moya. The storm hits the hatch and it explodes.

Some time later, Aeryn leads the children into the bar where their parents are waiting on them. John meets her and says he wanted to talk to her again about "charity". She interrupts him and says that he was right; maybe they should wait.

"What about fluid levels?" he asks, smiling.
"Well..." she says, returning the smile. "There'll be a backlog."

Meanwhile, on Moya, Chiana and Jothee are talking but not facing each other. Unnoticed, D'Argo watches both on the holodisplay.

"You're really going to leave without saying anything?" Chiana asks of Jothee.
"Yeah." he tells her, resignedly. "D'Argo's right. I know nothing of Luxan honor or integrity. I'm a half Luxan; I betrayed him. And, if I stay, I'll probably do it again."
"It wasn't all your fault." Chiana tells him.
"Yeah, I never figured that bit." he replies, laughing slightly. "Why did you do it?"
Chiana sighs. "I don't know. D'Argo had plans... for me... for a stupid farm... I didn't want any of them. I knew he wouldn't take no for an answer, so I... I figured I had to do something he'd never forgive."
"You used me."
"Yeah. A little. But you enjoyed it, didn't you?"
Jothee looks away. "Tell my father, if he'll let you, that I'm sorry. And, one day, I'll return and make it up to you both."
Chiana nods. "I'll tell him."

D'Argo looks away. He takes the remaining union tattoo and drops it on the top of the table. Sprinkling something on it, he watches as it bursts into flame.

"Old one-eye", the damaged DRD, first appeared all the way back in Premiere.

D'Argo had been long separated from his son. We first learned of D'Argo's search for Jothee in They've Got a Secret (which is also where we first learn that Luxan's can exist for some time unprotected in a vacuum). D'Argo and Jothee were finally reunited at the end of Liars, Guns and Money (Part 2) - With Friends Like These.

Chiana learned of D'Argo's plans for her in Die Me, Dichotomy. She and Jothee started their affair in Season of Death.

The two Interon cryo-pods were taken aboard Moya at the end of Season of Death. There was a third Interon who was killed to provide donor material for John's surgery in Die Me, Dichotomy (though it was made clear at the time that the Interons were suffering from terminal illness or injury and would not survive resurrection.)

Zhaan's injuries are the result of her restoring Aeryn to life in Die Me, Dichotomy.

John and Aeryn professed their love for each other, and Aeryn her decision for them not to act on it, in Die Me, Dichotomy.

How long has Rygel been watching what Chiana (and possibly others on Moya) are doing? Had he been watching her and D'Argo? How about John and Aeryn? Has he been a witness to some of their intimate moments as well?

Where will Jothee go?

Will D'Argo ever forgive Chiana?