Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Lewis Carroll Never Imagined This
By Couch Baron | Season 1 | Episode 17 | Aired on 09.09.1999
When we return, Crichton gets to his feet and immediately (of course, and also, aw, although she'd probably kick his ass if she noticed) goes to check on Aeryn, who opines that they must have hit something. Crichton wonders how that could have been possible in starburst. Chiana helps Zhaan to her feet, and Zhaan winces as she says the "fibers" in her arm are torn. Hmm. Before we can really get down to the pulp of that statement, however, Aeryn asks Pilot what's going on. But Pilot's image is no longer there, and neither, for that matter, is Rygel. The remaining crew then notices a bright light outside, and then D'Argo rushes off to check Command, but before he can get very far, he's suddenly bathed in some eerie red light, and quickly gets sucked into some sort of vortex and disappears. Zhaan whines that D'Argo can't just disappear like that. Looks like the Goddess has abandoned someone in her hour of need. I can't imagine why. Aeryn then heads off to try to reach Pilot, but just as quickly gets sucked into another vortex, although the light surrounding her before she disappears is blue instead of red. Zhaan panickedly looks to Crichton for an explanation, while Chiana chimes in that she doesn't want to die. From what I've heard about fan reaction to the introduction of her character, the writers really shouldn't have set viewers up like that. Crichton, for his part, gets that fear-based catatonic look on his face again, which I doubt Zhaan or Chiana finds very reassuring.
Cut to Crichton rushing into Command, through the viewscreen of which we can see the same bright white light. Pilot's image is on the Clamshell Cam, and they catch each other up: Pilot doesn't know anything other than most of Moya's systems are out, and Crichton tells him the readings from Command are all over the map. Also, Moya is "frightened, and in great pain." Yes, I've heard that being drawn and quartered may produce those feelings. Pilot manages to get a read on Rygel's and Aeryn's whereabouts, and Crichton rushes off to try to find them.
Zhaan is using her one good arm to try to keep Chiana from taking a transport and leaving. Crichton appears, informs them that the comms don't work, and tells them that Pilot's scared, so Zhaan heads off to his chamber. I'll tell you now that we're not going to get to see the scene wherein Pilot looks at Zhaan all "Hurt arm? Yeah, I know what that's like." And that is a crying shame. Crichton tasks Chiana with finding Rygel, and, at her reluctance, asks if she wants to be part of the crew. Chiana: "On your good days." Heh. Crichton counters that this is one of the good days, and if Chiana's skeptical of this claim, it's because she hasn't met Maldis yet. Anyway, Crichton tells Chiana that she's not going anywhere because Pilot can't get the outer doors open, and then reassures her that everything's going to be okay because "Pilot's on the job." Chiana takes a long pause, and given that said pause gives the viewers a chance to absorb how hopelessly contradictory those statements are, it might not have been the most advisable dramatic choice. Regardless, Chiana takes off to Tier Eight try to find Rygel.