<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

A Bug's Life is episode 18 of Farscape season one. This episode was written by Doug Heyes Jr. and Rockne S. O'Bannon and directed by Rowan Woords. It first aired on September 17, 1999.

Spoiler Warning: Plot details and/or information about the ending follow. If you wish to enjoy the work first, stop reading here and return at another time.

Plot

A damaged Peacekeeper marauder approaches leaking cesium and the crew prepares to meet them. The Peacekeepers disembark and Aeryn greets them and introduces herself by Peacekeeper rank. Crichton enters the room dressed as a Peacekeeper captain and orders them to lower their weapons. The leader of the Peacekeepers informs them that they are on a priority mission and are commandeering Moya to complete it. Crichton refuses to relinquish command and the DRDs open fire on the Peacekeepers. They agree to cooperate.

Aeryn and Crichton explain that they captured Ka D'Argo and Zhaan while on a new technology training flight. They claim they are experimenting on Leviathan mastery without the use of a control collar. Crichton explains that they are using neural control on the ship's pilot. Peacekeeper Captain Larraq is skeptical as every test flight using that method has failed and resulted in the loss of the Leviathan and the crew. Crichton explains their test was doing fine until he came across them.

Larraq explains he is in possession of a crate that he must return to Peacekeeper control immediately. He will give Crichton a set of coordinates that can be reached in 20 hours. The command base is new and lies in the uncharted territories.

The Peacekeeper crew are approached by Chiana pretending to be a slave purchased by Crichton. The female Peacekeeper draws her teammates attention back to the crate they are carrying, demanding they open it so she can check the contents. Chiana stays to watch. One of the Peacekeepers tells her they have been searching for the crate's contents for nearly a full cycle. She pretends to spill drink on one of them and steals and imprint of the crate key in his possession.

Aeryn comments to Larraq that his men don't seem to respect command; he assures her otherwise. They exchange views on Peacekeeper command. She tries to gain information from him about what they've been doing in the uncharted territories. She appears to miss the duties and life of a Peacekeeper.

Meanwhile, Crichton visits Zhaan and D'Argo in their cell. D'Argo and Zhaan believe they should take the Peacekeepers out while they still can. Crichton disagrees; he wants to continue the deception and learn more despite the danger of approaching the Peacekeeper base. Crichton explains that knowing where the Peacekeeper bases are would be to their benefit. They decide to discuss the matter with Rygel but are unable to find him. As they are about to leave to search for him, one of the Peacekeepers approaches and they are forced to keep up the charade of Crichton as Captain and return to their cell.

Chiana works with one of the DRDs attempting to pick the lock on the Peacekeeper crate. She discovers Rygel is also in the cargo bay trying to discover if there's anything in the crate worth stealing. The two agree to split profits on whatever they discover.

Chiana opens the crate, with the key she made from her mold. Inside, they discover a living creature of an unknown species. One of the Peacekeepers approaches to find the crate open. He reaches into it and his body shakes. Another of his teammates approaches and begins to call his commander but his friend shoots and kills him. He then grabs hold of the life form and kills it.

He comes across Chiana and grabs her. He kisses her and transfers something to her body. Chiana grabs hold of him and knocks him out. Aeryn and and the Peacekeeper commander and the remaining female Peacekeeper enter the cargo bay and discover the dead body of the Peacekeeper and the creature. Larraq proclaims that "It" has escaped.

Crichton enters the cargo bay and demands to know what he's talking about. Larraq explains that they were transporting a virus that was held within the body of the creature in the crate. The virus can only inhabit one body at a time but within an hour inside one host it could lay its spores of which there could be millions putting the entire galaxy at risk.

They find Chiana and Crichton demands an answer from her. She leads them to believe the virus is inside Rygel. They all go to find Rygel and get into a firefight with Zhaan and D'Argo who've left their cells. Crichton explains the situation to them and states they must work together to find Rygel. They agree to search in pairs but to avoid contact once they find him to avoid infection. Chiana and Crichton team up.

The female Peacekeeper explains to Zhaan that once the virus leaves a person's body they have no memory of being infected as the virus leaves behind a hallucinogen that disrupts short-term memory leaving them dizzy and confused. Zhaan states that Delvians once came across a similar virus that destroyed an entire colony including members of her mother's family.

Larraq explains to Aeryn that he did not destroy the virus because their mission was to recover it for Peacekeeper study most likely for use in war. Zhaan reports that she has found Rygel. They plan to stun him but they are unable to get a clear shot. Chiana suggests killing him but Larraq states that he needs him alive.

Larraq successfully stuns Rygel and they recover his body. Chiana turns to Crichton and transfers the virus to him while the others are distracted. Crichton, D'Argo, and Zhaan discuss a way to rescue Rygel by killing the virus without harming him. Crichton suggests talking to the female Peacekeeper science officer, Hassan, as she knows more about the virus and might know of an antibody. He states that using force will be pointless. He wants to find out more about the base and that finding an antibody should be their priority. He returns D'Argo to the cell but a Peacekeeper approaches and he punches Zhaan and returns her to the cell as well. Zhaan is stunned by Crichton's behavior.

The Peacekeepers place Rygel in the crate. Larraq suggests that Aeryn should join special forces as her talents are currently being wasted. He expresses interest in her and Aeryn appears to wish she could take the opportunity.

Crichton visits Hassan and attacks her. He breaks the stun pistol. Zhaan asks Pilot to tell Chiana to visit them in their cell and questions her about how she feels. She asks about dizziness and Chiana is surprised that she knew about it. Zhaan has her lick fabric containing litmus fibers. The fabric turns red indicating acidity confirming their belief that she has been infected.

Crichton asks Pilot to increase speed to get to the base sooner. He asks Captain Larraq about his methods of capturing the virus. D'Argo and Zhaan leave their cell and run to the ship's command to inform them about Crichton's infection. Crichton attacks them but he's subdued. The virus leaves Crichton and no one is sure who it has moved to as they were all in close proximity. They all point weapons at each other.

Crichton demands them to calm down and asks whether the virus can reenter a previously infected person and one of the Peacekeeper's states that it can't. He and Chiana join together as the two confirmed uninfected. Crichton encourages Zhaan to attempt to make an antibody. She works on it while the others remain on guard against each other.

Zhaan first uses the antibody on herself without problem. Crichton decides to distribute the antibody. He injects Aeryn first and gets no reaction. One of the Peacekeeprs is next, there is no reaction. That leaves D'Argo and Larraq who immediately accuse each other of being infected. Crichton mediates and decides to randomly inject one of them. He chooses D'Argo and gets no reaction. Only Larraq remains, he opens fire and runs out of the command area.

Crichton asks Pilot to close the ship's access ports and they go in search of Larraq. Larraq takes Aeryn hostage. He shoots his last remaining teammate. The virus demands they let him go free and take the marauder to the Peacekeeper base allowing them to remain free. Aeryn tells them to do what they have to. Larraq stabs Aeryn in the stomach and runs off. D'Argo tells Crichton to go after him. Chiana attempts to take Larraq down but she is easily thrown off. Larraq escapes in the marauder still leaking cesium.

Crichton tells Pilot to stand by for starburst and hold the ship at a 180 degree angle. Moya is unable to give full starburst but the beginning stages are enough to ignite the cesium trail leading to the marauder and the ship explodes killing Larraq and the virus.

D'Argo expresses anger towards Rygel for opening the crate. He states to Zhaan that he'll never allow himself to be chained again.

Aeryn recovers from her injury and Crichton tells he she's lucky that Larraq missed her heart. Aeryn says he got closer than you think. She asks about the base and he tells her that they are moving far away from it but still know nothing about why it's there. She asks Crichton why he's in the room with her and he says he just wanted to be there. She thanks him.

Previous Episode: "Through the Looking Glass"

Next Episode: "Nerve"

Guest Stars

• Zoe Coyle as Hassan
• Paul Leyden as Captain Larraq
• Michael Tuahine as Rhed
• Richard White as Thonn