Okay, after this one is over and done with, I think I'll finally start loving the eps again. So, the first time I watched this one in 2003, I was pretty confused. Having come fashionably late to the Farscape party, I started watching when they were being re-run on Sci-Fi, and I definitely wasn't following how "Dream a Little Dream" was slated for a season-opener. And you know? Thank god, it wasn't because I never would have watched the second episode. There are some nice moments in this ep -- for Rygel, mostly -- and it does explain Zhaan's catatonic state, which annoyed the fuck out of me in the actual season opener. I think this was because I was so excited that the whole crew was back together, all safe and whole, but instead of sharing my dance of joy, Zhaan was off...Zhanning out. I had no idea it was because of what she went through in this episode.
Crichton watches as Moya starbursts away, leaving him and D'Argo hanging out in space. Peering through a breath-fogged visor, Crichton looks over at D'Argo's unconscious face. The two of them float, joined by hands, alone. Crichton calls out to Aeryn, who is with them only via comm link. In her prowler, she still can't get to them. "It doesn't matter," Crichton murmurs, "D'Argo's unconscious." Aeryn gets buzzed by Peacekeepers. She can't escape. She screams, hysterically, "Nooo!" as her prowler explodes. (First dream clue: Aeryn wouldn't scream "Nooo!" hysterically.) Crichton (who would scream hysterically) yells, "AAAAEEEERYYYYYN!" A tiny crack appears in his visor. And another. A tiny hole is blown, venting a tiny stream of oxygen. Crichton bellows the last of his air as his face is sucked inward into a desiccated death mask. His lips pull back, exposing several (?) rows of destroyed teeth, his eyeballs bulge out and open, and his tongue lolls out, grotesquely elongated by strangulation. Effective and horrid.
In a Moyan transport pod, Zhaan rears awake from her guilt-ridden dreams. Crichton -- beautiful, non-desiccated Crichton -- is there poking around in the pod's guts. He jumps at Zhaan's shouts and chides, "DAMN! Zhaan! That is where heart attacks come from!" Zhaan gasps that her circuitry organ doesn't seize up. "Mine does," Crichton points out. Zhaan apologizes and says no matter how much she meditates, she can't stop dreaming about all the bad things that could have happened to Crichton, D'Argo, and Aeryn. Since the two of them are stuck waiting for Moya to come pick them up, Crichton coaxes Zhaan to talk about her bad dreams. (But not after first attempting to lullaby her back to sleep with "Dream a Little Dream," aw.)
Zhaan drops heavily down to Crichton, and says they searched for the three of them for twenty days, and the last world they searched was Litigara. The name of a lawyer planet is Litigara? They're about as subtle as Tolkein and J.K. Rowling with their proper nouns, aren't they? Crichton allows Zhaan to gather her thoughts and courage, before carefully asking her what happened on Litigara. A few more quiet prods, and Zhaan finally opens up. She wants Crichton to understand, Moya was anxious to leave Litigara's orbit to search for Talyn. So, in her search, Zhaan was getting desperate.
Flashback.
Zhaan desperately asks a bartender -- whose pearly alien make up and thick, velvety black overalls indicate that he spends his days as a mime and his nights sweating the makeup off in his bar -- if he's sure he hasn't seen D'Argo, Crichton, and Aeryn. She grips his sweater insistently. He removes her hand and says pointedly, "I'm sure." A bunch of folks in black body condoms, who look as desperate as Sean Young to play Catwoman, listen with obvious interest to this exchange and watch Zhaan drape herself at a table where a drunk Rygel slurs all over her. Zhaan is very close to completely losing her shit, and to piss Zhaan off even more, Chiana can't keep her fists in her pants and rumbles loudly with other Litigarans. Okay, scratch the Catwoman image. The Litigarans are wearing wet suits, which basically makes them a surfer culture who took a decidedly different interpretation of "hang loose." Something Zhaan is about to find out.
The trio hits the streets of Litigara, and I have to wonder: why does every sinister, never-having-light, alien city feel the need to model themselves after Blade Runner? Let's get some new alien city planners, people! Zhaan pleads with Pilot to give them more time to find the others, but Pilot and Moya are obdurate: it's time to find Talyn. Now. Zhaan exhaustedly gives in and then deals with Rygel and Chiana's resulting protests by tearfully accusing them of being useless in the search. Unaware that she's being followed by one of the Litigarans from the bar, Zhaan charges off alone. However, she's stopped by a yelling crosswalk ordering her not to walk. The skulking Litigaran grins evilly and pushes an evil button. The crosswalk tells Zhaan she can now cross, so she does and nearly gets run down by one of the few vehicles not cruising above street level. A few beefy cops yank Zhaan to her feet and toss off Chiana, who was attempting to help Zhaan up. The cops drag Zhaan off to jail for jaywalking.
Jail. Since Zhaan is now dealing with her unfortunate incarceration, Chiana has to deal with Pilot and Moya. Much less gentle and breakdown-y than Zhaan, Chiana tells Pilot that Moya's going to have to chill the fuck out for now, before turning back to Zhaan. Chiana and Zhaan's cell confab is interrupted by Zhaan's public defender arriving on the scene and speedily extrapolating what Zhaan's sentence for jaywalking would be: "You're an offworlder, didn't know the laws. Good judge in a good mood, I'd say expect the minimum sentence: ten solar days and you're on your way home." Zhaan starts to wilt with despondence as Chiana explains to Dersh (yes, that's his name, and no, I don't know if his last name is "owitz." Or "anvil.") that they can't stay there for ten days. However, Dersh is already on whatever passes for a phone in Litigara saying, "Talk to me" to someone else. Yes, Virginia, even outer space has those kinds of pricks. Chiana wants another lawyer, and Dersh gestures around for her to take her pick because 90% of their planet are lawyers. Talk about living in the most opinionated zip code. Man, has nothing on them! Dersh will see them in court tomorrow. Zhaan mumbles that she needs her lawyer to listen to her. He can't hear her, and cheerfully (but obnoxiously) barks at her to speak up. Enraged, Zhaan grabs her Dersh's throat and tries to pull him through the bars of her cell. Cops surge in and cattle prod Zhaan into submission. Dersh gasps on the floor that he's okay, Zhaan bugs her eyes at him. "I don't know what's wrong with me," Zhaan tells Chiana tremulously.
In the office of Plotting, Scheming, and Conspiracy, Esqs., some guy named Roman is on the phone with a nervous-sounding guy, who is complaining that it's not a good night for him. Roman tells him to shut up because they have the "perfect subject" and the plan will be carried out and hangs up. Just in case we didn't already know who their "perfect subject" is, Roman fires up a projected image of Zhaan in her cell. Roman tells the crosswalk tinkering Litigaran -- who, judging by her shiny, shiny suit, clearly gets her fashion inspiration when eating Jiffy-Pop -- that she's done well. Jiffy-Pop smugs out of the office.
Zhaan paces in her cell and hallucinates that Aeryn, D'Argo, and Crichton have come to her rescue. Her whimpering, "I need you here to rescue me," is very telling. Whenever rescuing needed to be done, one or all of those three did it. It's now time for Rygel and Chiana to step up. As the hallucination fades, Zhaan collapses into tears. A Crichton vision comes and sits with her, explaining that she has to accept that he, Aeryn, and D'Argo are dead. As Zhaan clings to his arm, the Crichton vision sits there with a simpering, bland, unconcerned smile on his face. After Crichtonvision leaves Zhaan to her misery, Jiffy-Pop pays her a visit and tempts her to escape by melting a cell bar and giving her a map out of the city. Zhaan briefly wonders why Jiffy-Pop is helping her before accepting the map and escaping.
In the streets, Zhaan finds Chiana and Rygel (good!) but trips over a dead body (bad!). Convenient cops rush to arrest her, but Zhaan resists this time. The map has already burned up in her hands. Ah, self-destructing evidence, only a lawyer planet could dream that one up. The guy Roman was talking to earlier watches as Zhaan is once again subdued by cattle prods. He announces she's under arrest for murder.
Back in her cell and back with her original lawyer, Zhaan insists she was set up and did not murder the individual known as Wesley Kenn, who is, I'll have you know, a "rising young equal rights advocate for the Utilities." The "Utilities" are what they call the poor un-argumentative sods that make up the other 10% of Litigara's pop. They are the bartenders, the cooks, the barristas. They are as blue as blue collar comes. Zhaan stands accused of crushing Kenn's neck with her bare hands -- something she already tried to do to Dersh. In Litigaran society, those blue collars are beholden to the lawyer class. In San Francisco, we have the reverse effect. See, those bartenders, those cooks, those barristas, well, they stand between the white Arrows, Gladstones, and Etons and their hand-crafted cocktails, their home-schooled potatoes, and their $20,000 cups of H.G. Wellsian coffee. It does my light blue heart good to see the hand-tailored shirts panting at the bar, desperately trying to get love and liquor from a thoroughly aware yet unrushed 'tender.
Dersh ruefully exposits that Kenn was a "troublemaker," and not too many are sad to see the end of his radical, equality-seeking ways. Chiana doesn't care about local politics and wants to know what can be done for Zhaan. Not much, she's due to be executed in three days. Her only defense is her own testimony. "You're her lawyer -- you know, make something up!" Chiana insists. Dersh explains that if he defends a case he even suspects is false, he'll be executed as well. Confusingly, he makes to leave, saying, "I'll see you in court!" So, it's already known that she's gallows fodder, but they still try the case? Waste of taxpayers' money, and also very Deep Space Nine's "Tribunal"-y.
As heart-thrilling, "we're so proud of our legal system because that's all we are" music plays, Zhaan is led to a standing prisoner's dock. Rygel sums it all up for us, "This is a very ass-backwards world." He goes on, derisively, "They don't have monarchs or political parties, they have ruling law firms." Rygel's been doing his homework and explains the that law firm currently in power is known as "Rhuman, Willian...something." Oh, so Rhuman, not "Roman." Whatev. I'm sure they meant us to hear "Roman" because of the jackholery of Roman law. Rygel goes on that Rhuman's first name is Ja. "Ja Rhuman" is the name of a senior partner at a ruling law firm? Yeah, there's no way I'm not calling him Ja Rule from here on out, sorry. Rygel points out Ja Rule sitting on a ledge above them and a line of jurors. A woman in a black and red robe bangs the court to order with a silver saltshaker. Why doesn't anyone use regular hammer gavels any more? Are they dangerous? Do the heads keep flying off and killing people, or something? Are there no good gavel makers to ensure the safety of our courtrooms, board of supervisor meetings, or He-Man Women-Haters clubs anymore? Apparently, a hammer gavel from these people recently appeared on Regis and Kelly. Must be pretty special. I wonder if Kelly insulted the entire gaveling community when she said she didn't know where the handle had been. Between the Klingons and these folks, I'm quite nostalgic for the old ways. I think I'm going to start a Facebook group called "Bring Back the Hammer Gavels" or "Where Have All the Hammer Gavels Gone?" or "Desperately Seeking Hammer Gavels."
While I'm on the procrastination train and doing everything I can not to go on with this episode, I want to take some time to analyze Judge Joody's homage to the black and the red. Basically, it's the progeny of a Harvard doctoral candidate's robes and those of Cardinal Wolsey, complete with lavish fat gold chain. Her hat, however, is a completely different story. I mean, am I just really hungry or did someone stick a gigantic Peppermint Joe-Joe on her head? Follow-up thought: string some Smarties off of her and she could be that chick from Singles who dressed up as The Pill for a SafeSex party.
As though invoking a prayer -- heads bowed and everything -- Judge Joody intones, "We convene in the name of that which is most holy: the supreme law of the land." She flares her hand at them, "Amet." Get it? They worship law? I don't know what to do with that "Amet," though. Doesn't sound remotely religious. OH WAIT IT DOES. Judge Joody reminds us of the charges against Zhaan and then starts to deliver her sentence. Zhaan interrupts her with a plea about her innocence. "Are you entering a plea of not guilty?" Judge Joody wonders. "I am guilty of so many evils your honor but --" Zhaan, this is NOT the time to get philosophical about all your issues, okay? You tell these law-worshipping folks that you are "guilty of so many evils," and by Ginsburg, they will convict you of all of those as well. So, please, just shut up! Zhaan insists she's innocent in this particular matter, something, her lawyer loudly announces, that she hasn't discussed with him. Dersh then gives up his representation of Zhaan, so Judge Joody explains that without a lawyer, Zhaan's plea cannot be entered. "Unless..." Judge Joody says, pointing the way to the loophole, "there is someone else who would be willing advocate the defendant's cause?" I sort of hoped for a Trading Places moment here when Billy Ray calls out for a lawyer, but alas, the lawyers in this room are all stony-faced and silent. Judge Joody says she has no choice but to proceed with declaring Zhaan guilty. She bangs her saltshaker. Chiana and Rygel give a holler. Chiana runs up to Zhaan's dock and says it's all dren and that she can't let Zhaan be condemned. Zhaan hisses at her to stop it and orders her back to Moya. Chiana looks at Zhaan and then back at Rygel and says, "Our offer stands, your honor." They will be Zhaan's lawyers. Judge Joody bangs her saltshaker and makes it so. Initial sentencing over, Zhaan is taken back to her cell.
Gathered in Zhaan's cell, Chiana attempts to go through hefty law tomes to help them build their case. She causally lets it drop to Rygel that if they are found lying on Zhaan's behalf, they'll also be executed. Enraged and panicked, Rygel growls, "How could you never tell me that?! I thought we might even pull this off, but you and me not lying? Are you mad?!" Hee. Seriously, of all the crewmembers, the two biggest liars have to testify on pain of death to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Chiana ends all discussion of the matter by announcing that they are all in this together.
In the same bar from the opening, Chiana and Rygel attempt to study. Chiana sees a Utility get maltreated by some esquires and asks the bartender if he and his fellow Utilities get a lot of that. "They're lawyers," the bartender grits out, "It's their right." Utilities, explains, have no rights, that's why the murdered Kenn was fighting for him and his comrades. Chiana swears her friend didn't murder their advocate. The bartender seems to already know this and points out, "But can you prove it under our law?" Chiana bitches about the complexity of Litigaran law, prompting the bartender to covertly slide over a book. It's the basis for all the Litigaran laws before they got all messy and red tape-ified. How did it get so complicated? Well, more and more people wanted to become lawyers, so the law had to get more and more complex to justify their existence. Bartender taps The Axiom and tells Chiana it's the only book they need.
Back at the pokey, Zhaan is visited by the Vision of Aeryn past. While Crichton's manifestation told Zhaan she needed to accept the present situation and soldier on without them, Aerynvision's here to represent Zhaan's feelings of guilt and regret for leaving the three of them behind. There's a lot of, "Why did you leave us, Zhaan?" and "You could have waited," and after Zhaan pleads and explains and justifies, the vision dematerializes in tiny dots.
Back in court, Zhaan insists that the trial can't be allowed to continue. She admits to her guilt and says she killed the guy in the alley. In a whispered confab with desperate Chiana and contemplative Rygel, Zhaan says she refuses to be responsible for any more of their deaths. Rygel points out that they haven't lied yet, adding, "Of course, the trial's only been on for a few microts." Hee. Judge Joody pounds her saltshaker and starts to say, "In light of a full confession..." But Rygel interrupts to point out that yesterday they wouldn't accept Zhaan's plea without her lawyer's say-so. Well, as her lawyers, they don't give their say-so in this case either. Zhaan blathers on about crushing Kenn's throat and Ja Rule smiles. Chiana wants Zhaan gagged for her own protection. Zhaan melts down. A cop -- I guess it's a bailiff -- drags Zhaan around and there's a sound of ripping tape. When Zhaan turns around again, there's a metal mesh patch covering her lips. It looks like the mesh that covers speakers, so I'll bet she could still speak through that, even at elevated volumes.
Let's bring out our witnesses. A forensic expert gets up and spouts about the time and cause of death, after which Rygel belligerently tries to cast doubt on his expertise by quibbling with the time of death. Chiana rips the microphone out of his hand and hisses, "You cannot lie." Rygel changes tacks, "Actually, my question goes to the cause of death -- would it shock you know that we have experts of our own [he's gathering steam now, and his voice gets louder] who are PREPARED TO TESTIFY --" Chiana clocks Rygel across the head. Rygel pauses to consider and finally says disappointedly, "Uh, no questions, your honor." I think Rygel as lawyer is the best part of this episode. Question: if the forensics dude is not a lawyer, does that make him a Utility?
, a Utility (?) prison guard testifies about how desperate Zhaan was to get out of prison. Well, that's just great. So, when a prisoner isn't desperate to escape from an alien prison to rejoin her friends and leave an alien planet, the prisoner would be less suspicious? Rygel slurs out an objection, but Chiana fields this one and asks the guard how Zhaan managed to escape while she was on duty. The guard explains there was a shift changeover. And then Rygel farts, so when Chiana's pointed question comes out, her heliumed voice is robbed of all seriousness, and she completely loses her train of thought. She carps at Rygel for his ill-timed gassiness. Up in the Ja Rule gallery, Jiffy-Pop smiles serenely and smoothes down her Mylar suit. Rygel heliums back that he's nervous, "We're in court, so sue me."
, a cop testifies about getting to the scene of the crime after getting reports of Zhaan running around the city acting crazy. Okay, makeup query here: this guy is patting his face as he talks (as if he's sweating) and now most of his face has lost that pearly white sheen that makes the bartender a mime. Is it that they sweat the white? Because Ja Rule and Jiffy-Pop -- the most composed of everyone -- are definitely whitened. The cop goes on that he and his posse ran to a place where they "hoped" to intercept Zhaan and guess what? They found her! Standing over a dead body. A light starts to grow in Chiana's brain.
In the bar, which, on this planet is probably called "The Bar" (because: lawyers), Chiana's comming Pilot to ask for more time. Pilot says imperiously that Moya will give them until one more revolution of the planet. After that they're outta there with no promises to return. You know, I realize that Moya's in mommy mode here, but given how well the crew has taken care of her -- okay, well, they were the ones who got her pregnant, too -- and her needs, I'd hope she'd sort of not want Zhaan to be unjustly executed just because she's being impatient. I'm a bit irritated with both her and Pilot right now. Chiana responds that by that time tomorrow night, they'll either have Zhaan or they'll return to Moya without her. Pilot has the grace to look sad. I wonder if The Bar puts up signs around town that say, "Don't pass The Bar!" or "You've passed The Bar, come have a drink and a chocolate tort on us!"
Chiana watches Zhaan's arresting cop drink and bitches how he'll get promoted for this collar. Rygel wonders what's wrong with the cop's face. Okay, good, answers finally. "He's got blue eyes," the bartender non-explains. So? "There was a dual full moon the other night," bartender still non-explains. "Really?" Chiana says, catching on. "Litigarans with blue eyes usually stay inside," the bartender finally explains. "That's what burned his face," Chiana exposits for us. So, he got...moonburn? Okay, fine. Chiana thinks this cop might know a thing or two that might be worth their knowing as well, so she trots off to make a new friend. The bartender smiles. "I'm going to end up defending them both," Rygel grumbles. Chiana stands with her usual spread-leg seductiveness in front of the cop, who isn't that impressed. He isn't going to help her with her case. Chiana plays up that's not why she's there, besides he's already testified and they're going to enter a guilty plea the day.
Rygel talks to the bartender about a concept mentioned in The Axiom called "The Light of Truth." Apparently, back in the day, the Litigarans believed that when a burning torch was held up to someone testifying, it would burn brighter if they were guilty. Rygel muses that he doesn't need to know if someone is lying, he just needs something that will let him lie. Okay, but he can actually lie, right? There's no burning torch in the court -- nothing to prove they're lying? Meanwhile, Chiana's getting on very well with her cop. She's on his lap now. Rygel looks over and mutters, "Blue-eyed, red-faced, sack of --" Something strikes him. He shoves over a photograph in a plastic evidence baggie and asks the bartender if that's the murdered guy. The bartender picks up the baggie and nods, choking back emotion.
Back in court, Chiana's nursing a hangover. Rygel nudges her and says he needs her awake since Zhaan's "off in some happy place." Chiana rasps that she already told him everything the cop told her and no one will notice if her head's on the table. Rygel plunks down some Nashtin cleansing pills for her to take at specific intervals.
Court is back in session, and Chiana jumps around, speed talks, and generally has a Jessie Spano caffeine pill freakout. Rygel finally groans and asks to have a word with Chiana. Chiana giggles over to her co-counsel and hops on the table. Rygel confirms that Chiana took all three cleansing pills at once, and he takes over the questioning. He gets the forensics expert to confirm that there was a dual full moon on the night of the murder and also that certain Litigarans don't go out those nights because of the painful moonburn. Apparently, this planet doesn't stock MPF-45 at their corner Lawgreens.
Back to questioning the cop, Chiana skips up to the stand and notes his purpled complexion. He admits he got it the night of the murder. Chiana notes that while he got burned, the victim -- also blue-eyed -- didn't. Chiana also brings up the fact that the cop worked as a security guard in the private sector for Ja Rule's law firm -- something she learned last night. Ja Rule looks uncomfortable as the usual muted hubbub following such a courtroom exposure ensues.
Chiana pleads with Pilot to keep Moya in orbit. However, Moya is not even listening to Pilot any more. "Moya is LEAVING!" Pilot finally frowns. Frustrated, Chiana dashes off and gets caught in a forcefield. She calls for Pilot, but Jiffy-Pop shows up instead, holding a beeping remote and looking sinister.
Chiana is now seated in Ja Rule's office. Ja Rule compliments Chiana's showing in court and adds, "It's not a lawyer's way to be long-winded, so let's get right to the point." Not a lawyer's way to be -- oh, where is that liar, liar pants on fire torch now?! Jiffy-Pop announces that Chiana and Rygel will not win their case and Zhaan will be executed. "Frell you," Chiana invites. Ja Rule explains that Chiana and Rygel will stop calling witnesses and will not continue their present line of questioning. If they do, they will also be brought up on false charges. Ja Rule goes on that Utilities don't need any more rights than they already have. "They need to work harder," Jiffy-Pop sneers. Ja Rule says Chiana needs to be concerned with her own life, not Utilities. Jiffy-Pop rips off Chiana's comm button and plunks it in a pitcher of whisky. Ja Rule says if Chiana does as he says, he'll make sure she and Rygel get back to their ship, "Trust me. I'm a lawyer."
Trussed up in a long straightjacket, Zhaan listens to the Vision of D'Argo give her encouragement, reminding her how she survived and flourished under very similar circumstances. Zhaan agrees that she did, but that's when she was spiritual and now she's not. D'Argovision tells her she hasn't abandoned her Seek and then explains that the three visions can't help her any longer. She has to confront her demons alone. Zhaan doesn't know if she has the strength. D'Argovision tells her she's the strongest individual he's ever known and then he kisses her. That's interesting. So, Crichton represented acceptance; Aeryn, guilt; and D'Argo, religion. I think it's interesting that her most combative relationship represents the most negative visions.
The morning, Zhaan is chanting to herself and not responding to Rygel. Briefly explaining her kidnapping, Chiana grabs Rygel's comm and tries to get Pilot back on the line. All that comes back is static for a bit, but then Pilot calmly says, "I am here, Chiana. Moya chosen to give you a little more time." In tears, Chiana thanks him. But it wasn't Pilot's doing. Moya heard the whole conversation with Ja Rule and Jiffy-Pop because Chiana's comm was still off the hook when she was kidnapped. However, Pilot and Moya need to know if staying around means Rygel and Chiana will be able to save Zhaan. Rygel draws himself up thoughtfully and says he thinks he has a way, "It's chancy and will require lashings of deception and trickery." Chiana smiles, relieved, "Finally, you and I get to play to our strengths!" Yeah, but never forget that you were still doing fairly well without them.
In the courtroom, Chiana says they have one more witness to call: Ja Rule. Sworn in and on The Axiom, Ja Rule submits to Chiana's questions, which are all about how lying in court is very, very bad. Rygel zooms up and supposes that if he were to ask Ja Rule about Kenn's death, his response would be what? "That I know no more about the unfortunate and untimely death than any other ordinary citizen, namely that your plant did it," Ja Rule sighs, thoroughly bored. Chiana slams down a wooden chair, splintering it to pieces. Talk about courtroom dramatics. Chiana brandishes a piece of wood and agrees that anywhere else, it's just wood, but here, in this courtroom, the wood can tell fact from fiction. Chiana raises the piece of chair and announces, "The defense designates this the Light of Truth." Ja Rule blusters that the Light of Truth is a parable, and Rygel argues back that The Axiom would disagree. Ja Rule appeals to Judge Joody that the piece of chair is just ordinary wood. "Well, the Light of Truth is ordinary wood," Chiana points out, "Only when it is near a witness under oath --" "-- does it react with special properties," Rygel finishes. Judge Joody will allow it but warns them against mocking Litigaran law.
Chiana ignites the wood and holds it up. It doesn't so much burn conventionally as it does appear as though the glowing part is actually a square light bulb. Rygel and Chiana proceed with their line of questioning, confirming that Ja Rule's law firm stood to benefit from Kenn's death and that getting an offworlder to take the fall would be mighty convenient. Ja Rule protects himself by answering with "speaking hypothetically" and "it doesn't necessarily follow." Rygel reminds everyone that the cop got moonburn, but the victim didn't. Chiana goes on that maybe Kenn was murdered elsewhere and dragged to the alley where Zhaan was sure to be. "Speaking hypothetically, yes," Ja Rule says. "Are you speaking hypothetically?" Chiana asks. "Now, Pilot!" Rygel whispers. "Yes, of course I'm speaking hypothetically!" Ja Rule says impatiently. Pilot pushes some buttons and Moya sends a beam of light to the planet. The stick explodes with light. Judge Joody leans forward. Ja Rule denies sending Jiffy-Pop to help Zhaan escape. More liar, liar burning bright action. With each denial of the plan and action of the murder, the stick glows even more bright until Pilot shouts "Maximizing!" and the wood burns with the heat of a thousand dual full moons! Ja Rule gulps and quietly wets his pants. Rygel delivers his closing statement, "Your honor, are you going to believe the protestations of an obviously guilty man or the very symbol of your law, your world, YOUR TRUTH?!" Judge Joody considers this a bare second before nodding regally, ordering the arrest of Ja Rule and dropping all charges against Zhaan.
Back on the transport pod with Crichton, Zhaan admits she doesn't know what happened to Ja Rule in the end, all she knows is she was exonerated. They left immediately and soon found Crichton, D'Argo, and Aeryn. "But you still have nightmares," Crichton concludes quietly. Zhaan nods -- she can't purge the fear. "I live, Zhaan," Crichton reminds her and drops an affection finger on her nose, "Touch as proof." Zhaan knows, but the whole ordeal just proved that her spirituality is lacking. Crichton points out that it made her return to the Seek, so isn't that good? "Even though my studies fail to benefit the rest of them?" Zhaan asks. "Now who says that?" Crichton demands. "Well, at various times: D'Argo, Rygel, and Aeryn," Zhaan lists. Note that Chiana isn't among the listed. "Screw 'em, Zhanny," Crichton advises, "You're a tenth level Pa'u. You get to eleven, we get a TV ministry." Zhaan considers this but shakes her head, "If I may be honest, John, most of the time I have no idea what you're saying." "Neither to do I," Crichton assures her. At that moment, Rygel phones them up, and Crichton yells back that they are dead in space. Rygel wants to know how they could screw up a "frell-proof transport pod." "I don't know," Crichton puzzles sarcastically, "Thought maybe you could tell me. Something to do with a stash of keedva barbecue in the NAV LINKAGE?!" Zhaan chuckles. Aeryn's drawling voice comes through, "What would you really expect from Rygel?" Crichton softly says, "Aeryn, it's nice to hear your voice." "Likewise," Aeryn returns warmly. Man, these two have chemistry even through a com link. Talk about phone sex! Aeryn says they'll be picking them up in fifteen minutes. "Can't wait to see you," Crichton says, hanging up. He gently asks Zhaan if she's okay. "I think so," she says, putting her head on his shoulder, "I thank you for your compassion." "And I thank you for yours," Crichton gently reminds her and lays his head against hers. Galactic "AW!"