The Way We Weren't

Farscape episode
“The Way We Weren't”
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 05
Guest star(s)	Lani Tupu (Captain Bialar Crais), Alex Dimitriades (Velorek)
Writer(s)	Naren Shankar
Director	Tony Tilse
Production no.	10207
Original airdate	14 April 2000 (US); 24 July 2000 (UK)
Episode chronology
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"Crackers Don't Matter"	"Picture If You Will"

A revelation about Aeryn's past brings up old feelings of animosity and shame, particularly from one unexpected place...

Synopsis

A recording is playing, showing Peacekeepers on Moya, with a Lieutenant named Velorek asking Moya's previous pilot to cooperate. He says that if she refuses, another pilot is waiting in the wings. She insists on the removal of the control collar, at which time Captain Crais enters, asking Velorek what is taking so long. He orders the Peacekeeper troops to fire, and they kill the pilot. They begin talking, prompting Velorek to tell them to keep their opinions to themselves. They all comply with a "Yes sir!", and take off their helmets. Amongst them, Officer Aeryn Sun...

Crichton asks Chiana where she found the recording, and she says she was going through stuff on the top tier. She seems stunned that Aeryn was on Moya, and killed the previous pilot.

The rest of the crew, Aeryn included, watch in disgust. They ask why she never told them she'd been on Moya before, but she says she'd been on hundreds of Leviathans; she didn't know it was Moya. Zhaan, Rygel, and D'Argo were all aboard three cycles ago, and say that maybe she tortured them. She denies this, and Crichton tries to calm things down. After some comments from Rygel, she goes for him, but Crichton holds her back. Chiana mentions that she was a Peacekeeper, and wonders what they all thought she used to do. She says that she was a Peacekeeper then, and her life, relationships and priorities were very different.

Flashback to a Prowler arriving on Moya. Velorek greets Aeryn in the hangar, and says that she could have asked what the cargo was, but she says that her only question would be why she was pulled from Prowler duty, and when can she go back. The cargo? A replacement pilot.

Crichton says that she saw Pilot, their Pilot, when he was brought aboard. She says that had she known it was him, she would have said. Everyone leaves her, not knowing what to say; upset. Crichton asks about Velorek, and she says his job was to bond the new pilot to the Leviathan.

Flashback to Velorek, speaking with Pilot and trying to control him. Crais enters and Velorek stuns Pilot. Crais asks if Velorek's already running into problems. Aeryn tells Crichton what's done is done, she can't talk about it. She leaves, but remembers Crais telling Velorek that his job is to install the new pilot and teach him how to use her. Velorek says that he is young, and it will take too long. Crais says that Velorek can be replaced, and Aeryn steps up to ask to be reinstated for Prowler duty, but Crais ignores her and leaves.

Aeryn is in her training room at the punching bag, knuckles bleeding from hitting it so hard. She breaks down in tears, and Crichton comes along asking what happened back then. She tells him that there's a reason that she kept him at a distance at times; Peacekeepers are bred for one purpose. Relationships do not involve connecting with anyone, particularly for any long amount of time. Her relationships back then were somewhat painful. Crichton realises it's to do with Velorek...

Flashback to Aeryn and Velorek getting it on, as Aeryn tells Crichton that they were lovers. He's never heard her use that word before, but she says she felt something unique with Velorek, and guesses it was love. Pilot appears on the clamshell, recording in hand, telling Aeryn that they must talk. Crichton is shocked that he got the tape, but Aeryn says that she must go alone. In Pilot's den, he says her betrayal cuts deep, and he lifts her up by the throat.

Flashback to Pilot being lifted into place. Velorek removes his gag, and says that the ship's name is Moya. Pilot is strangling Aeryn, and she calls for Crichton. D'Argo joins him as they run to his den. In the flashback, Velorek tells Pilot that they won't bond him naturally because it would take over a cycle. Crichton and D'Argo try to stop Pilot, but he knocks them away and vents the chamber. In the flashback, Pilot says that his presence will surprise Moya, but Velorek says that he has no more time to adjust to his new surroundings. Pilot throws Aeryn down, and says that until she leaves Moya will not move, and he shuts down power.

Chiana has a go at Rygel for showing Pilot the tape, and they still can't take control. Zhaan heals Aeryn, but is angry with her. Aeryn says that Pilot's right, she defies Moya with her presence and she will leave. Zhaan apologises, saying that Aeryn had no choice back then. In that world, that was the only kind of Peacekeeper she could be.

Flashback to Aeryn and Velorek in bed. Aeryn goes to leave, but Velorek keeps her there, and asks her to stay with him, saying that he could make it happen. He says that there's something special about her, and asks if all she wants is to fly Prowlers and serve a madman like Crais. Aeryn says that is insubordination, but he says that Crais is a maniac, and that he will not let Crais' project kill this Leviathan. He again asks Aeryn to come with him, as she can be so much more.

Crichton asks what Aeryn is doing, and Zhaan says she is going to leave. Crichton goes to Pilot, and says that they will hash it out here and now.

Flashback to Pilot being bonded, saying he is in great pain. Velorek says that a permanent side effect of the grafting process is the great pain. He tells Pilot not to be afraid, and brings Moya back to consciousness. Moya recognises that he is not her original pilot and goes haywire, but is subdued by the control collar.

Pilot tells Crichton that Moya only accepted him because she was tortured into it, and he rips out his bond to her. As systems fail everywhere, Crichton asks Pilot what he's done and tries to assess the damage. Pilot simply says that the pain is finally gone.

Aeryn tells Crichton that Pilot has likely been in pain the whole time, and that they need Pilot's help to fix things. Flashback to Velorek giving Pilot control of the DRDs, and as Aeryn watches, he whispers to some of his team. Pilot then asks him what secret project he means, but Velorek says that it's nothing for him to concern himself with.

Aeryn says that she has to talk to Pilot, but he has isolated himself. Aeryn says it's all her fault, so Crichton asks what else happened, but she just says that she has to talk to him. She and Crichton make their way to Pilot, and Crichton again asks what happened.

Flashback to Aeryn massaging Velorek, saying she wants to go with him. She asks where they'll go, and he says he doesn't know. Aeryn tells him to change his mind, whatever he did with Crais' plan to put it back. As Velorek questions her, Crais enters and arrests him, and asks if she is the informant. She says yes, and her rewards her with the assignment she requested. Velorek says that he told her she was special, and is taken away.

Crichton asks what happened to Velorek, but she says she thinks she knows that Crais' project was to breed a Leviathan warship. Velorek installed the contraceptive shield, which D'Argo shattered.

Aeryn and Crichton get in to Pilot's den, and fend off a DRD attack. Pilot doesn't want to talk, but Crichton says he wants to help Pilot because otherwise he will starve to death. Pilot says that Moya will be better off without him. Aeryn says that she deserves to die, and won't stop him from killing her, but asks him to spare the others and himself. He says that it's not her who deserves death, it's him; he didn't just replace the old pilot...

Flashback to Pilot's home world, as Pilot tells Velorek that he so badly wants to see the stars. Velorek offers him a Leviathan, saying that the old pilot will die no matter what he does; Velorek will find someone else if he disagrees.

Pilot says that it's his fault that the other pilot is dead. Velorek may have not found a replacement had he refused, but he was so desperate to see the stars. Aeryn strokes Pilot's cheek in the same way Velorek did when he came aboard, saying that now she couldn't fathom not doing such a thing. She says that they've come a long way since then, and have a long way to go, and asks him to take the journey with her. Pilot strokes her face back, and says that he knows a way to get temporary control of Moya's systems.

As D'Argo works, Pilot says that he will not have complete control, and the bonding could take a cycle. D'Argo says that he deserves it, and asks how it feels. Pilot says that there's no longer any pain.

Crichton tells Aeryn that Velorek was right; in a new place she will thrive. She says that Velorek told her she could be so much more, and it's exactly what Crichton said the first day he was here. Crichton asks if she thinks she loves this man, and after a long look they smile...

Trivia

• The flashback scenes were processed using a technique known as "bleach bypass" to give them a unique look.
• Lani Tupu decided that Velorek's arrest is the first time Crais meets Aeryn. Aeryn also meets Pilot and Zhaan for the first time during the flashbacks in this episode.
• Lani Tupu considers the scene where Velorek visits Pilot's planet to entice him to come to Moya as one of his favorites in the series.
• This episode marks composer Guy Gross' first contribution to the series.
• This episode is the first example of the exemplary and unusual cinematography (for a show such as this) which would come to be commonplace in the rest of the series. (The POV camera-work in flashbacks, use of bleach bypass, and ingenious editing for example.)

Quotes

Aeryn: You know, that time when he asked me to go with him, he said, "You can be so much more." That's exactly what you said to me on the first day I was here.

Crichton: And you say you think you love this man?

Pilot: If I hadn't agreed to come, Velorek may never have found a replacement pilot. But... but I just wanted so desperately to see the stars.

Aeryn: Do you remember when you first came aboard? Velorek stroked your cheek like this. Back then, I couldn't fathom why he'd do a thing like that, and now I couldn't fathom not doing it.

Sources

• Farscape World Synopsis - Dani Moure