Episode Report Card Keckler: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The One Where Talyn And Crais Elope
By Keckler | Season 2 | Episode 1 | Aired on 03.16.2000
The doors to Crais' cell open and Crichton calls, "Your nephew wants to see you." Crais calmly clears his throat and walks out, "I knew he would. Eventually." Crais looks at Aeryn and tells her to make her choice. He nods over at Crichton. Aeryn smiles a bit and says she wants to go with him. Crais makes a smug little speech to Crichton about how this is beneficial for everyone except Scorpius. Aeryn looks like she's about to cry. Without looking at Crais, Crichton tells him that he doesn't like the plan and never will, so he better behave himself with Talyn and with Aeryn. He now turns to Crais, "Because if you hurt either one of them, I'm going to hunt you down..." Crais is amused by this, "That would complete the symmetry nicely, wouldn't it?"
With Crichton trailing sullenly behind, Crais and Aeryn march off to Moya's docking bay. Crichton stops just behind Aeryn. As if she feels his eyes like a hand on her back, Aeryn turns around to look at him. "Last time we stood here, we didn't say goodbye," Crichton says softly. "But it wasn't goodbye, as it turns out," Aeryn reminds him, all welled-up around the eyes. Crichton and Aeryn each put a hand up and interlace their fingers. It's more intimate than a kiss. Over by the prowler, Crais provides levity by looking thoroughly sickened by the display. "Here's hoping history repeats itself," Crichton murmurs. Aeryn holds his look and then turns to Talyn. Crichton steps back and allows the bay doors to close in front of him, separating him from Aeryn.
Crais flaps aboard Talyn, announcing their return. The both give Talyn some orders, and Talyn responds by raising something up from the dry ice suffused floor. Aeryn asks what it is. It's the God Machine. "It's the Hand of Friendship," Crais tells her, "It's the greatest honor it can bestow. The chain-linked metal arm waves around. Crais wipes his mouth -- drooling already, is he? -- and asks Talyn who it's for. Talyn bloops deeply then shines a big spotlight on Crais. Aeryn looks ruefully disappointed. Crais looks beatific. "Thank you," he says casting his eyes reverently downward, "I humbly accept." He turns around and rips his coat off to expose the back of his neck. Aeryn doesn't think this is a good idea. The Hand of Friendship raises to Crais' neck. Aeryn looks hurt. The Hand of Friendship rears back like a cobra preparing to strike. A disk with lots of small, puncturing wires is at the end. The Hand of Friendship strikes, driving the spiked disk into the back of Crais' neck. Crais screams. The Hand of Friendship zips back into the floor. Aeryn demands to know what's happening. Crais sort of convulses. His neck bleeds from all the punctures. Crais falls to the floor. "Talyn, what have you done?" Aeryn screams. I remember hoping Talyn was so smart that he learned Crais was the one who tortured leviathans with control collars and now was getting him back by killing him. "What is that?" Aeryn asks, stepping over Crais. Crais staggers up and explains it's a neural transponder, a direct interface with Talyn. Crais can command everything on Talyn now. "You command him?" Aeryn demands. "Every system -- it's indescribable," Crais mutters, "It's a pity you can't experience it." Aeryn starts to remind Crais that they were going to share command. "Talyn chose otherwise," Crais interrupts. Aeryn thinks Talyn needs both of them. "No, we no longer need you," Crais says, "Talyn can only have one master. You can return to Moya." Aeryn refuses. "You must, he and I are of like mind on this," Crais tells her. Aeryn orders Crais to remove the neural transponder. Crais doesn't respond. Aeryn repeats herself and grabs her gun out of her leg holster, "Take it off or I will!" Talyn points guns at Aeryn. Crais knocks the gun out of Aeryn's hand and they fight. If there ever was a Peacekeeper equivalent to a well-fed, complacent, corporate suit, Crais is it, and I don't care how many hours he spends on the stairmaster at Peacequinox after work, Aeryn is so going to kick his ass. Oh, my, but it's nice to finally recap some action in this pick-a-little-talk-a-lot episode. They fight, Aeryn clearly rocks, Talyn shoots, they fight some more, and Aeryn clearly rocks. Aeryn yells at Talyn that she's not the enemy. "We know that, but you cannot stay aboard here, you have fifty microts to get back to your prowler before we open that passageway into space. Good health, Officer Sun," Crais smugs.