Farscape (1999–2003): Season 1, Episode 21 - Bone to Be Wild - full transcript

The Peacekeeper scan is
directly over us...

now.

I believe we will survive
the scan.

It's the frelling cold that
will claim me.

Why the yotz can't we have
a little heat?

Because the Karjik Pulse is
attuned to energy sources, Rygel.

We're chilled, but we're alive.

Well that depends on
your definition.

That's not a Marauder
scanning us.

That's Crais' full
Command Carrier.

- Nobody else is going to ask.
- I'll ask.



Zhaan.

How come you're not frozen?

My body temperature self-regulates
under most conditions.

Pilot, how's the baby doing?

Excuse me, but Moya is
picking up something.

It appears to be...

some sort of distress call.

Source?

From one of the surrounding
asteroids.

I'll see if I can isolate it.

Please, please, please, hear me.

I'm stranded here
with my family.

We're under attack.

Please help us! Please come
quickly. As soon as you can.



There's a creature...

Could this be a
Peacekeeper trick?

Yes, that's entirely possible.

No, the transmission source is
coming from an asteroid close by.

The signal is weak.

It is unlikely Crais' ship
even heard it.

We can't escape this asteroid
field without some sort of navigational aid.

Maybe this girl and her family
have charts.

You're not seriously considering
going down there, are you?

For goodness sake, didn't
you see that thing?

You do not have to go down
there, Your Flatulence.

Distress call directed at us.

How stupid is that?

My name is John Crichton,
an astronaut...

...a radiation wave hit and I
got shot through a wormhole...

Now I'm lost in some distant
part of the universe on a ship.

A living ship full of strange
alien life-forms...

Help me...

Listen, please.

Is there anybody out there
who can hear me?

...being hunted by an insane
military commander...

...doing everything I can...

I'm just looking for
a way home.

Unacceptable!

There are over 20,000 asteroids
of sufficient size

to block the Leviathan from
our scans, sir.

Then we enter the field and
change our angle of projection!

If we do that, we sacrifice
maneuverability.

I left orders not to
be disturbed.

Of course, Captain, but as you
labor to recapture the Leviathan,

I thought I might offer a course of action
it seems you have not considered yet.

Do you think a mother would
abandon her child?

If I was in command, Captain,

I would concentrate on the
Leviathan's newborn.

Bombard the area with
multi-frequency signals.

Discordant stimuli.

See if I couldn't make the
offspring reveal itself in panic.

And its mother along
with it, hmm?

Sir? Your orders?

My orders stand.

Change our position.

The Peacekeeper scan has passed.

One, two, three, four to
beam down, Pilot.

Officer Sun.

I would appreciate if you
would stay aboard.

Alright, Pilot.

I suggest we deactivate our
Comms, just for safety's sake.

Now remember, minimum use of
thrusters and keep plenty of rock between you and Crais.

Right?

Got it.

This is the most miserable place
I think I have ever been.

Where you see misery, D'Argo,
I find the end of misery.

Well, to put things in
perspective, Zhaan,

you are the least thing on this
asteroid that I'm allergic to.

- The big guy's got a point.
- My rashes have got rashes.

I assure you the cure for all those
ailments and much more is also here.

So you keep saying.

Well, look around.
What don't you see?

No animals, no aviary, no insects,
nothing to compete with the flora.

This magnificent place is the
Goddess's pharmacognosia.

Hey, don't forget, happy campers, the girl
in the distress signal said "creature."

Well, she's probably
dead by now.

Which is what I'll be if I
don't get off this asteroid.

Are you picking up any
being's scent?

Zhaan, let me explain to you what's
going on inside my nose right now.

There's large pieces of green
mucus and gunk and...

D'Argo, no, no, no.
Stop it with the Luxan poetry.

There's some healthy
sounding sinuses.

- Stick with me, D'Argo.
- I'm there.

Go! Go!

Hey!

Hey!

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

Whoa, hey, hey, hey!

Help me! Help me!
Help me, please?!

It's all right.
You're safe now.

Where are the others?
Where's your family?

You have to protect me.

No, listen to me.
Where are the others?

He killed them all.
Please, help me.

They're dead?

Please. Please help me.
Please, please, please.

He got away. He knows the
terrain too well.

My name is Zhaan. This is Crichton. That's
D'Argo. We're here to help you, dear.

- What's your name?
- I am M'Lee.

Look, do you have any maps so we can
find our way out of this asteroid field?

Used to. All destroyed.

All gone. Please, don't leave
me behind here. Not with him.

Let's go back to the
Transport Pod.

Transport Pod?
Is-is it well guarded?

- Come on.
- Well protected?

If not, he will find it.
He will attack it.

Please, take me with you!

Please, let me go with you!

Please, take me with you!

Fire up the drive.

I'm on it.

Whoa!

D'Argo!

I told you this was a
miserable place.

Where are you hurt?

At the moment, everywhere.

It's gone.

The access point is secure.

It ain't getting back in.
We're safe.

And crippled.

I hit the second fuel pump.

You hit the main
pressure control.

Yeah, I'll fix it.
Are you okay?

I have a broken terok.

Probably internal bleeding,
but... I-

Definitely internal bleeding.

- What is it, Pilot?
- What's wrong?

Besides the obvious,
a great deal.

I don't know who else I
can trust but you.

Trust about what?

Are you aware that Moya's
offspring isn't normal?

The Peacekeepers have
altered its genetics.

Created a ship that is part
Leviathan, part attack vessel.

We've all seen the
baby's weaponry.

Moya is having difficulty establishing
a connection to her progeny.

How so?

The offspring knows he
is different.

There is tension between
Moya and him.

What do you expect me
to do about it?

You were a Peacekeeper.

You, better than any of us, might
understand what's been done to him.

If Moya were told, perhaps she
could solidify his trust in her.

And us.

You want me to go aboard?

Moya gives you permission
to do so.

But does the baby?

Unbelievable.

Officer Sun.

Pilot, what happened to
radio silence?

Why you're on the offspring's command,
I have a direct laser link between us.

The only way that Peacekeepers could
intercept is to be directly in its path.

Oh.

This is astounding, Pilot.

It's a complete synthesis of
Leviathan and warship technologies.

I need more light.

I have light.

From the exterior, the offspring appears
to possess a sonic ascendancy cannon.

Yes.

The controls are over here.

It would be advisable to locate
the communications array

as this may be the method the
Peacekeepers will use to locate us.

Communications array.

Communications array
is in silent mode.

How did you manage to
find it so quickly?

I think I was supposed to.

Hello?

What are you doing here?

Admiring your quarters,
Captain.

Quite opulent, even by
captain's standards.

I've never understood the need of some
warriors to memorialize their conquests.

Does displaying this decaying flesh remind
you of past instances when you were powerful?

Your branch of the service gives
you special privileges, Scorpius,

which does not include
disrespect of rank.

I want you off my ship.

Of course you do.

Candidly, Captain,

you have continually failed
in all your duties.

Your vector for success has
grown quite small.

Stray outside it, and I fear this ship
soon may need someone else to command her.

Just swallow it!

If you want to kill me, why
don't you just shoot me?

This herb will stop your
internal bleeding.

Would you rather I cut you
open, D'Argo?

You're no surgeon.

Exactly, now swallow.

So, how many in your group
did you say?

Forty one, originally.

We intended to colonize here.

My father, my mother,
two brothers.

And they're all...

The creature gets
ravenous often.

John, we need more kijmot root.

D'Argo's injuries are
not improving.

Right. One quick trip to the
pharmacy coming up.

Out the door, turn left
at the creature.

You smell different.

You smell like out there.

Your olfactory senses
are very good.

I am also flora.

Yeah, right.

Say what?

Didn't you know?

Know what?

You're a plant?

Always have been, John.

Why, does it bother you?

No, it doesn't bother me.
I just never suspected...

you're a vegetable?

Everyone knows that Delvians
are flora evolved.

Right.

Sentient floran life isn't all
that unusual, John.

I have cartilaginous fibers
instead of bone.

Tuperadinous cellulose tissue,

and regenerative fascia
membrane.

The blue?

Chloroplast tintation.

The yellow highlights are stomata
for the transpiration of water.

Ahh! That's why you like
the light so much.

Photosynthesis.

Mm-hmm.

You okay?

When was the last time you ate?

I'm not hungry yet.

Huh.

It's coming.

Zhaan!

I'm almost finished.
I've got what I need.

You better pick it up!

M'Lee! Dammit!

You go after her. I've finished.

M'Lee!

I'm sorry about your female.
I was scared.

It's not your fault.

No. It was your fault.

You were meant to look after
Zhaan. Instead you went running...

It was instinct, D'Argo!

You understand instinct. Every
single thing you do is based on it.

Besides, there was no
indication that she'd been...

Eaten.

She won't be. The creature will take your
friend to his eating grounds before killing her.

Eat?

That's it.

Tell me how to get there.

I can't.

You just have to know it.

I'll take you.

No, no, no.
It's too dangerous...

Let her take you, John.

I can smell him long before you
ever know he's around.

I'm much better off than Zhaan.

Go.

Go...

Find her.

Fine. Come on.

This way.

Over here.

This is where the eating
is done.

We'll be out of here as
fast as we can.

Damn. Ugly leftovers.

Is there another place he
could've taken Zhaan?

You all right?

I'm feeling... hungry.

Look, I'll get you some food as
soon as we get back to the transport.

Right now...

Food.

M'Lee...

- Food...
- Do not go squirrelly on me here, all right?

You gotta help me
find my friend.

I... am...

not... your enemy.

She is.

Uh-huh...

Okay.

You requested my presence,
Captain?

Did you suggest to my Bridge Officer that
we do not adjust our current position?

Yes.

Your Bridge Officer and her Crew seemed
to appreciate the merits of my suggestion.

You have gone too far,
Scorpius.

You have directly questioned
my command.

Your command begs question.

If my actions were under examination,
I would have been recalled.

You were recalled.

Do you forget that I have
seen your memories?

That I know of your
insubordination?

That I have witnessed the
execution of your Second Officer?

When I bring in the Leviathan's offspring,
it will forestall any of those charges.

Now, get out of my quarters.

I'll tell the Bridge Officer we
won't be changing our course.

I am sorry to have hurt you.

Yeah, a few words would've saved
us a whole lot of trouble.

I find this atmosphere
very thin.

The slightest exertion leaves
me unable to speak.

I had no breath left.

John, M'Lee is a calcivore.
She's a feeder of bone.

So she was going to eat me?

- Yes, just your skeleton.
- The flesh is left to rot.

So what were you doing in
our Transport Pod?

Trying to warn you.

I know how the beast
tricks her prey.

Yeah, she said you were
the monster.

Yes. My parents believed
so, too.

But it was just a phase all
children go through.

Br'nee is a scientist, John.

Scientist.

Botanistic pharmacology.

Much like the beautiful Zhaan.

Oh, I am but a layperson
compared to you, Br'nee.

Plants as medicine.

Yes.

My ancestors seeded this barren
asteroid over 300 cycles ago.

I simply led the first
team of harvesters.

What happened to the rest
of your team?

Sorry.

Forget that I asked.

Twenty six in all.

Including my mate.

There weren't supposed to be
any predators here.

No animal life at all!

They first encountered M'Lee
in her dormant state, John.

As we did.

She was cunning enough to live
among us for some time

and discover our weaknesses.

What are hers?

Satiation.

After she's eaten her
fill of bones,

she reverts to the passive
creature you experienced.

It's the only time
she's vulnerable.

When she becomes hungry again she
loses the control of the transition.

Yeah. Been there, seen that.

We have numbers again.

And after she's eaten one of us the
others will have a chance to kill her.

Eaten?

Yes.

Br'nee, that's a little
unacceptable.

It's not your choice,
I'm afraid.

It's hers.

Officer Sun...

the Peacekeeper scan is
sweeping this way again.

If you are able, you must reduce the
offspring's energy signature to bare minimum.

Yes, Pilot.

What?

Come on...

Do you understand what's
happening?

Officer Sun, make him
understand.

If they try to communicate with
you they are called Peacekeepers

and you must understand they
are not to be believed.

Look, it's true in a perverse
way, you do come from them.

But so do I.

Look, I wish there was more time
for this, but there isn't any time.

You are going to have to decide
if you will trust your mother...

us.

If you're going to trust me.

Howling's stopped.
What's that mean?

Well, at a guess, she's gone to
see if your tentacled friend

is out in the open by himself.

M'Lee prefers easy prey.

All right then. Pick it up,
Zhaan. We got to go.

Okay. Nearly ready.

These leaves and fungus will
completely heal D'Argo's injuries.

I thought you wanted brocus
seeds to arrest the infection.

I can't find any. I guess I'm
looking in the wrong place.

You are.

I take it you know a way
back to our transport?

Yes, a route M'Lee avoids,
along the ridge line.

Then pick it up. Let's go.

Brocus histicalx.

Pick as many as you require.

By the goddess, I've never
seen anything like it.

We couldn't transport all the desired samples
if not for the capacity to miniaturize them.

That is a very impressive
machine.

My aunt had one.
Come on, Zhaan. Let's go.

You must stay behind with your
weapon. It will scare M'Lee away.

If not, she'll descend on
everything and destroy it all!

There is no way I'm going to let
Zhaan go out there alone with you.

And no way will I let that beast destroy
everything my mate died to help accumulate!

We'll be all right, John.

After she's with your friend,
I'll return

and together we can help transport
all the vials onto your ship.

That is my one condition but
it is non-negotiable!

Fine. Go.

If you're not back in an arn, M'Lee
won't be the only one hunting you down.

Capisch?

M'Lee?

M'Lee!

I'm hungry, John.

M'Lee?

Take it outside, M'Lee.

Us Southern boys don't make good
eatin', not without a fight.

M'Lee?

I have to eat, John.

And I'm it, huh?

I've been here the whole time. I've
heard what Br'nee said about me.

What? That you're going to devour
our bones if you get the chance?

He didn't tell you all of it.

I need you to know the truth.

Is that before or after I supply your
recommended daily allowance of calcium?

His people brought my ancestors
to this asteroid for a purpose.

To rid it of all herbivious
life-forms.

So what are you saying, spiky?

Are you saying there used to be
plant-eating life here?

Thousands of creatures.

Plenty of food for my ancestors.

Plenty of food.

Until there was nothing.

Br'nee's kind must have
known that

your people would eventually
decimate the food supply.

They expected us to do their dirty
work for them and be long dead by now.

Only their precious plants
would remain.

How did you survive?

M'Lee?

In the end, we only had
each other.

And then Br'nee's people
arrived,

and they became prey.

I was hungry.

As you are now.

But I also know, after I
satisfy myself on your bones,

and those of your friends
and finally, Br'nee,

I will eventually starve
to death anyway.

That's far enough.

So what did you have in mind?

I will control my hunger.

And you will provide me access
to a more permanent food supply.

You want me to take you with us?

Br'nee knows where
my kind lives.

Make him tell you, and then
take me there.

You have got to be
kidding me, right?

Deionization charge, complete.

Direct composite capability,
enabled.

Vaporization charge, imminent.

Right. Here goes.

That's done it.

The cannon is active.

I can't fully explain it, Pilot,

but this ship and I seem to have
reached a bit of an understanding.

Moya, too, is encouraged.

Communication with her
offspring is improving.

She thanks you, Officer Sun.

Amongst all these Peacekeeper
systems, I feel quite at home.

We couldn't be happier.

Honestly. You deserve a home
where you're wanted.

Pilot, I'll be returning to
Moya shortly.

Please let me know if any
Peacekeeper scans are imminent.

Maybe you ought to stay there.

Maybe you and I ought to have a little
one on one when I get back, Rygel.

Look, if you've got a problem
with this then all you... Oh!

You ought to keep one foot
out of your mouth.

You may need it to run.

Look, what slimy means is, uh,

if we get attacked, the only
weapon we've got is that kid.

I am not dragging this ship into
a conflict not of its making.

Who said we had a choice?

You know, I'm not an enthusiast
of healers, but this remarkable.

Feeling better?

I am completely healed.

My admiration, Br'nee.

I've been prejudiced in the
past due to charlatans.

Hmm, no offense taken.

What are you doing here?

Surprised I'm not M'Lee food?

I mean, my work...

Swamp Thing, here, ain't the Mr.
Rogers scientist we thought he was!

You forgot to mention how your ancestors
brought M'Lee's people here, didn't you?!

It was the only natural way to
protect what we were growing here.

M'Lee threw you a curve.
She survived.

She slaughtered my mates!

With good reason,
it sounds like.

Once I get my research out I'll
come back with a larger mission...

She'll be dead by then.

I cannot condone what
his people did,

but for all this unparalleled flora to
flourish it may not be entirely unreasonable...

To murder sentient beings in order
to save a few stinking plants?

How animal-centric of you, John.

Sorry, Zhaan.

I forgot. You're a...

I am a "stinking plant."

Myjuka!

I have heard stories of the
existence of Delvians,

but to actually stand in
the presence...

All right, enough.

No offense, but I say we take this tree
hugger, shove him out the access port

and get the hezmana out of here.

- Absolutely.
- I have charts!

Charts that will take us
through the asteroid fields.

All right, take me there.

No! John. Considering
the stakes, I'll go.

I think, uh, under the circumstances
a cool head behind that trigger.

Wouldn't you agree?

Be careful.

I will.

My report to High Command.

Shall I bother reading it?

To what end?

You'll hear it all multiple
times at your inquest.

Disobeyed direct orders,

murdered a fellow officer
with premeditation,

sacrificed eighteen of your elite crew in
a pathetic quest for personal vengeance.

It's all in there.

You are unfit for duty
by any measure.

I personally intend to see you
stripped of rank and office.

So you can take command
of my Carrier?

I already have.

Get off my ship!

Why must you force me to display my
physical superiority to your kind as well?

If you want to fight anyone,

attack your executioner.

Zhaan! Br'nee! Time's up!

Screw the happy plants, guys.
The transport's repaired.

What the hell happened?

M'Lee surprised us.

Took Zhaan.
I tried to fight her.

She took Zhaan.
Did she take her alive?

I'm not sure. I don't know.

Where would she take her?

Rock wall, where I saved
you from her.

M'Lee! M'Lee!

M'Lee!

Where are you, you little
lying sack of spikes?

You lied to me.

You said you wouldn't hurt us.

Said you weren't going to
eat any of us.

Then you haul Zhaan off and...

Bones.

Son of a bit...

Idiot!

So, the baby's real dag-yo?

Ah, yes.

Whatever that means.

Is he fast?

A major part of his design and
function, I imagine.

Faster than his mother?

Yes, Rygel. Fast enough to take you out
of here if the Peacekeepers get too close.

Listen, someone should
escape this place.

Carry our message to
the outside.

And what exactly is
our message?

That we don't want to
die out here.

Very sensible.

Chiana, would you come here
for a microt, please?

Now let me get
something straight.

Both of you.

Moya will not leave here without her
offspring and he will not leave without her.

Where does that leave us?

Very close to being thrown off this
command if you don't shut your wakket hole.

Any sign of Crichton,
Zhaan or D'Argo?

Pilot's still checking.

Good. Well if they're not here in
an arn, we go and look for them.

We?

She must mean you.

Back already? You made good
time. Do you have the charts?

Don't! Don't kill me! Please!

I... I... I came... to talk.

You're the no longer the
feral beast.

That means...

you've eaten.

I won't hurt you. I promise.

I cannot guarantee the same for
you if you move towards me.

What, uh...

who did you eat?

No one.

Then why do you look like that?

I used all my remaining calcium
to present myself in this way.

Why?

So...

you... you...

you would listen.

I'm... I'm starving to death.

I must eat!

You must take me with you

or give me food!

I'm sorry.

But I have nothing to offer you.

Please?

Please, anything... anything.

Except...

there's a ship of beings
out there, thousands.

No one will regret
their passing.

You can have as many as
you can lay claim to.

But... how do I...?

How do I get there?

They're coming soon.

As soon as we start the engines
and blast off from here.

Oh, you... you promise?

Thousands.

I... I... I will... I will
control my urge.

So what's the plan, Br'nee?

Find D'Argo, have him take you
to your home world?

You're back.

Yep.

You look a lot better.

Thank you. I ingested some
roots to repair my wounds.

Yeah. Must be a lot of interesting
things in these bottles.

Did you get her?
Did you kill M'Lee?

Nope.

And Zhaan?

Yeah, the blue plant.

Aren't you supposed to
be looking for her?

You know, it's funny.
Sometimes I'm very, very slow.

Zhaan's a Delvian.

Plant, right?

Not animal?

No bones.

Fibers instead of bones, so...

no calcium.

Huh. And M'Lee's got
a great nose.

So what would she
want with Zhaan?

Where is she?

What are you doing?

You faked those injuries.
Where is she?!

I don't know what you're
talking about.

Now please, leave my
specimens alone.

Zhaan.

Okay, I can do this, Zhaan.

I can do this.

Damn, where's the button
on this thing?

I can do it. I can do it.

Step away from my machine.

Why would you do this to her?

She's a Delvian.

I have lived over 200 cycles

consumed by my life's work
as a botanist.

Until today, I could only dream of
sampling such an incredible species.

She has a name.

It's Zhaan.

She is not dead, nor will
any harm come to her.

She's in a test tube, Jack.

Through her we might discover medical cures
even our future dreamers dare not envision.

Is that not a fair trade-off?

Not to her.

And not to me.

I will shoot you.

Nah, I don't think so.

Not without the Chakan Oil
cartridge.

Run!

She's mine!

What the hell am I looking at?

Justice.

You okay?

Uh...

Weird sensation.

Thank you.

Yeah.

E.S.A.S. reports a confirmed location on
one of the escaped Leviathan Transport Pods.

It's landed on one of the
deep-field asteroids.

Sir?

Captain?

Scorpius has ordered several Marauder
teams into the asteroid field.

Is it true what they say?

That Scorpius can sense our
fears and our weaknesses?

I await your orders, sir.

My orders?

Ah, do as he says.

Zhaan, it's time.

Come on.

Crap! M'Lee.

Starvation...

M'Lee, dear, I wish
we could help you.

Zhaan, we have to find a way to
take her with us somehow, some way.

No. Not unless you're willing to
sacrifice your shipmates one at a time.

D'Argo told me there were others
coming, called Peacekeepers.

I will try to hold on
until then.

But I must eat something now!

Bones.

We have bones.

Br'nee.

There is much cruelty in the
universe.

Yeah. We seem to have a
treasure map to it.

Bon appetit.

The excellent trajectory charts
you've brought back

will allow us to negotiate our
way out of this asteroid field.

Thank you, Pilot.

So, tell me about the baby.

John, he's amazing,
and frightening.

The technology...

It's such a waste.

It's like nothing
I've ever seen.

You'll find your way back there,
Zhaan, when insanity isn't chasing you.

I'll never be able to go back
there again and you know it.

Then, those miracle plants will
be found by someone else.

In the great scheme of things
it's all the same.

Point well taken.

When did our roles become
reversed, sweet D'Argo?

When you required it.

If your hand is still there
in one microt,

I'll snap it off and use it as
a good luck charm.

Officer Sun.

Yes, Pilot?

Moya has asked me to relay to you how well
she and her offspring are communicating now.

All thanks to you.

Oh, Pilot, I did what I had to,
for the good of the ship.

Well, the ship has notified me
that the offspring now needs a name,

and she would be extremely
honored if you, Aeryn Sun,

were the one to choose
his name.

I want a three-point grid search of
every square dench of this asteroid.

Report any scrap of evidence you discover
regarding the fugitives directly to me.

Sir.

We found a survivor.

She spent time with the fugitives and
may have information that's useful to us.

Please. Please, please,
please help me.

I'm all alone here.

They killed my family. Please.

Please.

We must know when to be strong,
and when to show compassion.

Thank you. Thank you.

As a matter of honor,

sometimes we must be willing
to give of ourselves.