Fractures

Farscape episode
“Fractures”
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 18
Guest star(s)	Tammy MacIntosh (Jool), Kate Beehan (Hubero), Matt Doran (Markir Tal), Thomas Holesgrove (Naj Gil)
Writer(s)	Rockne S. O'Bannon
Director	Tony Tilse
Production no.	10318
Original airdate	24 August 2001 (US); 14 January 2002 (UK)
Episode chronology
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"The Choice"	"I-Yensch, You-Yensch"

The reunion of Moya and Talyn is not the happy one the crews imagined. Things are complicated by the arrival of another transport pod of escaped prisoners and a traitor that could bring them all down.

Synopsis

Moya has detected a transport pod closing in to rendezvous with Moya and everyone has concluded that it must be the crew of Talyn. Crichton is anxious, asking D'Argo which shirt (green or black) looks better. Meanwhile Jool advises Chiana on what to wear for the reunion and the pod arrives as Crichton and D'Argo speculate on the state of Talyn's crew. The four go to the maintenance bay, but out of the pod step a Scarran, Nebari, and a female Hynerian, along with an unconscious Peacekeeper Tech. They say that they've just escaped imprisonment and ask for help.

The Scarran, Naj Gil, says that they were part of a Peacekeeper weapons test, to see how different species would react to their new weapon. Chiana, Crichton, and the Nebari, Hubero, are on the pod looking for a Boolite – a creature that has been blown to pieces but can survive as individual parts for half a cycle.

On Talyn, Rygel asks Crais where they are and Crais replies that Talyn has found Moya at the extreme range of his sensors. Aeryn enters with Stark's mask and tells Talyn to intercept. When Pilot senses Talyn's approach, D'Argo sends Crichton to welcome them back.

Rygel is first out, but is hesitant when Crichton speaks to him. Crais is next, but when Aeryn steps out and Crichton acknowledges the "familiar face," she simply says "Hello John" and walks away. Immediately noticing a problem, Crichton asks what's wrong and Crais informs him that the other Crichton is dead.

Rygel returns to his quarters to find the female Hynerian, Orhnn. She gets in his good books by treating him as a Dominar. Meanwhile, as Chiana, D'Argo, Jool, Naj Gil, and Hubero are in the bay, Chiana has a flash, saying that she heard a pulse blast, causing panic. Aeryn wanders past the Tech's cell and he tries to convince her to let him go and of the value of the escaped prisoners, but she doesn't care anymore.

Crichton unpacks the other John's stuff, and after sizing up their pulse pistols, he takes back Winona. He throws Stark's mask aside, causing an image of him to appear. Stark says he has a message for Crichton and only Crichton, but is interrupted by Pilot who has detected a Peacekeeper distress call – from aboard Moya!

Pilot says that Moya will starburst and Talyn will follow on a close trajectory to meet up later. Chiana blames the Naj Gil, but D'Argo sticks up for him and places the blame on Hubero. Chiana jumps to her defense, as Rygel acts as an alibi for Orhnn. Crichton wants to lock the prisoners up, but they all refuse in favor of sticking by the person they're paired with. Everyone leaves and with Aeryn facing away from him, following a long look Crichton leaves too.

Crais is trying to put the Boolite back together and Jool offers some of her biological know-how as to how it should be done, since he is struggling.

Crichton and Aeryn are repairing the transport pod, with her handing him requested tools as she works. She ignores his attempts at humour, but when he tries to talk about the other Crichton she gets up and leaves. D'Argo enters to offer advice. He says that he has no advice to give and that he knows Crichton is jealous of his twin. Crichton says that the other guy, "the copy," died, and D'Argo recognizes that the problem is that Aeryn now thinks of him as "the copy."

Crichton wakes Rygel from his sleeping with Orhnn and tells him that the prisoner's pod will be ready in half an arn. Rygel says that he doesn't want her to go because he loves her, but Crichton says they only have that half an arn. When Crichton leaves, Orhnn opens her eyes and says she heard it all and wants to go at it again. Meanwhile, Chiana asks Hubero what her crime was and she replies that she's a non-conformist; she's an androgen (not male, not female).

Crais and Jool have the Boolite talking and Crichton asks who the traitor is, but it says it doesn't remember. Crais says that the memory may be in brain matter that they have yet to add. Pilot suddenly screams "shots fired" – the Scarran was shot. D'Argo threatens Hubero and then grabs Orhnn. Chiana and Rygel stand by them though, and Crichton gets D'Argo to release them. Pilot says that another signal was sent, this time including Moya's coordinates.

They find a transmitter expertly assembled from scraps and Crichton goes to the Tech only to find that the DRD watching him sensed no movement. Pilot says that the pod will be fixed in a quarter of an arn. As Crichton tells Rygel and Chiana that one of their people is the traitor, Chiana hides Hubero while Rygel and Orhnn hide out in an access shaft, only to go at it in there.

Jool and Crais heal the Scarran, as D'Argo and Aeryn search for Chiana. D'Argo is about to speak to her about Crichton, but she quickly tells him not to. When they leave, Hubero tells Chiana that she doesn't want to cause her any trouble and leaves to return to the transport pod. As Jool and Crais finish assembling the Boolite, more fire is detected; the DRD was destroyed and the Tech's cell opened. Naj Gil awakes, as Orhnn wakes Rygel. She tells him that he must move his ass now and pulls a knife on him to emphasize her point.

As the others search, Orhnn tells Rygel that she struck a deal with the Tech on the pod and then on Moya she found a great bargaining tool – Rygel himself. She reveals that she is a soldier and he gave her no pleasure, so she didn't fall asleep with him and could roam Moya freely. Suddenly, Moya is neutralized so that she can't move. The Tech appears before Jool and Crais and opens fire. Running through the passageways, Orhnn shoots Hubero, much to Chiana's dismay. The Tech makes it to the pod, where Orhnn is waiting with Rygel as a hostage. They leave Moya and begin broadcasting their location, as Crichton and Aeryn leave with D'Argo in his new ship.

As Aeryn recalls a moment on the Budong, she and Crichton hook on and slide over to the pod. They blast their way in and Aeryn shoots the Tech. As she tries to escape on Rygel's throne-sled, Crichton holds it down and Orhnn ends up floating away in space. Talyn returns, as Aeryn, Crichton, and Rygel are lifted off the pod, which explodes in their wake.

Crichton is in his quarters, listening to the message, which is actually from the other John. The other John explains that while the Scarrans are back to square one with the wormhole technology, the Peacekeepers are Crichton's problem; Scorpius cannot be left to crack the secrets. Aeryn overhears, as the other John tells him not to push her because she needs time. They have a final go of rock-paper-scissors and both draw scissors, tying again. He wishes Crichton luck, the message ends and Aeryn slowly walks away.

With everyone assembled in Pilot's den, Crichton explains the situation. Pilot says that he and Moya are against the idea and Talyn disagrees, too. Chiana says that they don't know how far Scorpius is in his research, or where he is and asks how Crichton will stop him. Jool opts out and Crichton says that he doesn't see another option. After a long, lingering pause, the others watch on as Aeryn slowly rises and joins Crichton and Crais soon follows. Chiana says that they're all going to die, and Crichton asks if she saw it or is just guessing. He goes on to say that we choose our own path and this is his – he's going to the Command Carrier, and he's going to stop Scorpius...

Trivia

• [Scorpius/Harvey does not appear in this episode.
• Paul Goddard makes his final appearance of the season in this episode. He will continue to be credited for the remainder on the season.
• Nicholas McKay returns to the show after voicing a Halosian in "Out Of Their Minds and Cargn in the "Look At The Princess" trilogy.
• The cliffhanger at the end of the episode was deliberately heightened as producers knew that some viewers would have to wait months between episodes.

Quotes

John: Which one, green or black?

D'Argo: This is not the time.

John: D'Argo, green or black?!

D'Argo: Well, the black, of course. Far be it from me to say, but I've always thought the color of that green shirt doesn't suit the shape of your body.

Jool: Aeryn's fine. I'm sure the other you has taken extra good care of her. I mean... all I meant was, I'm sure he did everything that you would have done, if you had been there with Aeryn all this time....

Chiana: Not quite the reunion we were expecting, the other Crichton dead and Stark searching for Zhaan's spirit.

D'Argo: Well, with a single Crichton and Stark missing, perhaps it will restore some sanity to the ship."

Rygel: And since she came aboard, sweet Orrhn has been atop me...or beneath me, or-

John: Okay, there's a mental polaroid we can all live without, Ryg.

Hubero: When they finally find us, they'll be angry at you for hiding me.

Chiana: They get angry with me a lot.

Orrhn: What's their plan?

Rygel: Ahhh, they're going to kill you bitch.

Source

• Farscape World Synopsis by Dani Moure
• Trivia notes taken from “Cool Farscape Facts” on the Farscape: Starburst Edition, Season Three, Collection Three DVD