Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Enemy Of My Enemy Is...
By Couch Baron | Season 1 | Episode 15 | Aired on 08.12.1999
...and to Command, where Durka has decided that he's waited long enough. He menaces Aeryn with some nasty-looking device as he announces to the crew that he's leaving the channel open for motivational purposes. Aeryn bravely, but not entirely convincingly, says torturing her won't help him, but he counters that she should know how good he is at getting results. He gets all class lecturer-y as he asks Rygel if he knows what Sebaceans dislike more than anything else, and Rygel, having seen "Exodus From Genesis," answers, "Heat." Durka clarifies that he meant intense heat, which clues us as to what exactly it is that the nasty-looking device in his hand does. Aeryn's face now betrays her abject fear as we head into another break.
Durka's approaching Aeryn with the heater. He's gut-wrenchingly heading straight for the face when Rygel cuts in that he's pathetic. This is unexpected, and given that this is a show that can make you care about Muppets, that's saying a lot. Rygel digs deeper, saying that Durka's all hot (sorry) over the chance to maim and kill a woman who can't even defend herself. "Pathetic." He's not wrong. Durka says that he was going to save Rygel as a bargaining tool, which shows just how right Rygel is, and also perhaps that Durka's brain understandably isn't all it used to be. Durka asks if he thinks his shipmates would care if he burned Rygel's face right off. Rygel calmly says he's welcome to find out, "because the all-powerful Durka is a failure." We see quick shots of everyone on the ship listening as Rygel continues, "You tortured me without mercy, but you never broke me! You only made me stronger, and even if you kill me, I'll be laughing at you, because the last thing I'll think of is you on Nebari Prime for another hundred cycles, being ground back down into nothing!" I guess it makes sense that Rygel would be an expert in making people feel two feet tall. Rygel drops the bomb that Moya can't starburst because she's pregnant, and Aeryn invites him to check the nutrient flow and power levels to confirm that Rygel's telling the truth. Rygel intones that there's nothing Durka can do to get starburst back, but Durka demurs. Uh oh.
Chiana jumps down from her hiding place, and she's brandishing a large staff...well, it really looks more like an oar, if you want to know the truth. She instructs Crichton to turn around, which he sort of does, but when Chiana swings at him, he whirls back, grabs her weapon, and throws her to the ground. Crichton gets on top of her, which doesn't seem all that likely to calm her down. She deftly (and also both scarily and awesomely) immediately switches gears, though, apologizing and saying she's not used to trusting anyone. Crichton suggests she start, and they have an unnecessary discussion about the mental cleansing, followed by a too-long speculation from Chiana that she'd be better off teaming up with Durka. When Crichton suggests that Durka can shut off life support everywhere except Command, though, that gets Chiana's attention. She does point out that when the Nebari find out what happened to Salis, they're going to want to cleanse everyone on Moya. Given that, from their point of view, Rygel was the one that set the events leading to Salis's death in motion, that does seem all too likely, and Crichton agrees, moreover suggesting that that makes him and Chiana natural allies. Chiana asks what his plan is, and is frustrated when Crichton's expression seems to suggest he hasn't got one. Not so, though -- "I got a plan. You're just not gonna like it." I don't know, Crichton -- I get the feeling there aren't too many things for which Chiana isn't game. He taps her on the nose and says, "Bait," and Chiana smiles big. See?