Farscape s04e10 Episode Script

Coup by Clam

Previously on Farscape A relationship is based on trust.
I didn't want to tell you about | the pregnancy until I was sure.
Sure you were pregnant or | sure who the father was? In view of the continuing danger | we face in Peacekeeper space, I'm reluctantly forced to consider | traveling into Tormented Space.
Can it be as bad as some of | the places we've been lately? It can.
- What's he doing here? | - He wants asylum.
Asylum? I gave my word | that he would not be harmed.
Why did you come here? To safeguard John Crichton amongst other things.
Can you trust Scorpius? More today than yesterday.
Why? And now on Farscape.
Highly abnormal.
Even I can't eat that much.
Is that really your third helping? Fifth.
Highly abnormal.
Highly effective! So, the advantages of only eating | ten times a cycle are? Not eating all the other times.
Captain? Pilot? - Moya has asked me to once again convey | - Okay, stop right there.
We're aware that you think this planet | is a pit an outpost of nothing.
Their food's overcooked, | undercooked and not worth cooking.
Makes Noranti's food seem edible.
Pilot how bad is it? Without additional zyntian filtration, the electrostatic impulses from surrounding | radiation sources will drive her mad.
Moya has not had peaceful rest since | we entered the Tormented space.
This is the only planet we've found | whose mechanics are aware of Leviathans.
They can get the job done.
But when, Captain? When their doctor certifies that | none of us has space madness.
After you.
He has already certified free of uh transmissible celestial dementia? We're calling it space madness.
Scarran ancestry, however, | disqualifies visitation to Khurtanan.
Hit the road Space invader! Stillness.
I'm sure that Pilot told you that | Moya's hull protects us from radiation? Good Space madness is so feared on this planet that there are no exceptions.
Now for the neurologic brain scan.
Hey, look.
I know you guys lie and all, but | this is not going to hurt too bad, is it? Not a bit.
No, no, no.
No! | This food is dren.
I'll agree to that.
Ahh.
If you'd held your scream out | for one more microt, I would've won the pool.
Ahh, too bad.
Anything edible? - No! | - No.
Remarkable.
So, Doc Snot commed ahead, | giving us the all clear and Pilot says the mechanic is on approach.
Wow, that's crap! Know what? | I think I might be allergic to something here.
Gratification at meeting you all.
Did you enjoy the repast? Well, it's the first thing I've had in a while | that doesn't taste like chicken.
Kind of reminds me of a big bowl of Alpo I once ate.
Perhaps when you visit the planet, | you'll discover better nourishment.
Uh we won't be visiting the planet, Doctor.
As soon as your mechanic fixes our ship, | we'll be leaving.
I risk to differ, Captain.
Oh, did I forget to mention | not to share the Qatal mollusks? They're to be eaten whole.
Should the flesh be divided | among different stomachs the food poisoning that results is fatal.
What did you do? Initiated the first half of our business arrangement.
Bring one quarter million currency pledges each to my office and I will cure you.
"Coup by clam.
" Know what? | Why don't we just shoot you? It does sound presumptuous, I know.
But I'm the only one that can cure you.
The weapons will only cause the mechanic | to resist the modifications your ship requires.
Suppose we tell him what you did? Well, he will not believe you.
He cannot help you.
And, I will double my price.
Care to call my bluff? Do not delay payment.
Your symptoms will greatly mimic the uncontrolled disorders | associated with space madness a disease they shoot on sight for.
Doctor.
As I communicated, clean health for all.
No threat of affective illness.
At the moment.
Hey.
Glad to see ya.
As you can see, we're uh | we're all excited by it all.
If you'll excuse me Chiana Excuse me.
Did you eat any of the mollusks? No.
Good.
Okay.
I want you to put this mechanic to work, | but I want you to stay with him.
He goes nowhere without you.
Okay.
Where do you need to go? The zyntian filter must be installed | in a primary sensory nerve conduit.
Any neural cluster will do, once we have diverted the synaptic flow.
And, um I can tell Pilot how to do that.
Right.
Come on.
Right.
Y'all have fun now.
Watch out for those Hodian Trill-bats.
They're killers.
What the frell is going on here? | Every time Rygel vents, I vent.
And every time Sputnik pulls a face, | I get major league cramps.
I'm digesting a large meal.
| That should not be affecting you.
Well, it does.
Is this a side-effect of the day-glo clams? It must be.
D'Argo and I both ate the purple mollusks | and every time he sneezes, I feel it.
Rygel and I had the green one.
| Somehow it's linked us.
We have to find a cure very quickly.
Okay.
Let's go down to the planet | and have a chat with our doctor.
Analyze the food.
| If you find a cure, comm us immediately.
So we can chop his head off.
I'll need various bodily samples from each of you.
Thank you! Next ! Are you sure? Absolutely.
How long will this take? Couple of arns at the most.
Why are you staring at me? Well, maybe I think you're cute.
Think whatever you want, but I'm here to do a job.
I just want to see that you don't hurt Moya.
Time to bypass the synapses.
Pilot? We need to cut off power to this cluster.
Diverting now.
- No, it'd be more efficient if you simply | - I do not need your help.
Dr Tumii will be back shortly.
We'd like to see him now.
Nothing I can do.
Damn! This place could use some air-con.
Where the hell is Sikozu? | In a sauna? Don't complain.
| You're not feeling three overfull stomachs.
Okay.
This is new.
It's not me.
| It's definately her.
That's all for today.
Killing me kills you.
May I speak? No.
Cure first, speak later.
Oh, put those away.
I promise you I can't be forced to cure you.
And the cure is of my own devising.
You won't find it elsewhere.
Let me explain the Qatal mollusk.
Please don't.
We give up.
We'll pay.
Each mollusk harbors one colony | of neurally linked bacteria and each colony acts as one organism.
So much so, that if the mollusk is halved, its bacteria alternately transmit each | half's sensations to the other half.
Why? Who cares? Take the money cure us.
Now that the bacteria have colonized your bodies, they're communicating your emotional states to uh force you to merge.
The problem is, you are not mollusks.
That's never been a problem for us before.
It is now.
Your bodies, unlike the mollusk halves, | can never merge.
And so your symptoms worsen and eventually the strain kills you.
All right.
We understand.
Fix it.
We'll pay double if you shut up.
And I'll break your neck if you don't.
Cure us all.
Now.
I will.
But I am down to my last mollusk and, uh each cure requires the same type | as was ingested.
So get more.
More are being delivered in a few arns.
Until then, I can only cure | whoever ate the purple mollusk.
That'd be me.
I hate you.
When this is finished, you mix it with | the other linked patient's urine and then you orally ingest.
No way.
| I am not drinking the old woman's urine.
- D.
What's up? | - Nothing.
It's uh it's Noranti.
She uh Is she in pain? No no.
It's it's the opposite.
She's experiencing intense pleasure? Very intense! Um John.
| Do you think we could Whoa! No no.
Don't don't come near me | when you're feelin like that! Come on, D'Argo.
Just fight it.
D.
Think about baseball | math Isosceles triangle rusty razor blades gravel She lost it, she This will give more lasting relief.
Divide, urinate, exchange, ingest.
You and the linked one | must then press bare flesh to bare flesh so the bacteria can migrate.
How much bare flesh? Hands will suffice.
You see, the cure unbinds | the bacteria from your cells - and tricks the colony into merging | outside your body | - One more word of technobabble and I'm gonna cut your tongue out.
D'Argo, you wanta go check it out? I'm afraid the boy may be ruined for life.
I'm almost jealous.
And if this doesn't work you're dead.
With all respect so are you.
Bioscan's negative so far.
But how can you travel in something so alive? All the filthy bacteria Moya is quite hygenic.
She is self-disinfecting.
She is female? Oh yes.
But wholly controlled by Pilot | a male, of course.
Ahh.
Okay | That's not so bad.
And there never has been a case | of space madness aboard this ship.
Oh, you're lucky.
We've had to terminate | three cases in the last half-cycle.
An outbreak? I guess so.
| I thought it had gone.
Three cases, out of the blue.
They were good men, too.
- Real shame.
| - Oh, indeed.
All male? That's what makes it a real shame.
Ahh! I believe the mollusks have arrived.
Arrived in less than thirty minutes.
| Don't forget to tip the driver.
Son of a bitch! Vanished.
Lie still don't move.
Who who is the doctor? Oh! Plainly not you! Did you see who shot me? Not her face.
She disappeared.
But you're certain she was female? We are all in serious difficulty.
We? Yes.
I'm afraid I can't cure you.
Go on.
Take it.
Drink it! - Why do you hesitate? | - What do you think? Would you rather die than drink it? Okay.
- So, we should be touching while we drink this.
| - Oh so you said.
Umm.
.
Bare skin to bare skin.
Not that much bare skin.
- But I I would have thought the more contact | - The doctor said no.
Oh, yes.
Less skin.
Here's to ya! - Did it work? | - No.
Test it.
Okay.
- Was that absolutely necessary? | - Oh one little pop.
I just got a fright.
I I didn't feel anything.
It's working.
John, the cure seems to be working.
That's great news, D.
| I hate you even more.
Certainly it's working.
Just maintain contact.
For how long? Until you feel an oily sensation which signifies the bacteria | have all precipitated out.
No more than a few arns.
Arns? What happens if they break contact before that? The bacteria will re-colonize in their bodies and the symptoms recur | and eventually they'll die.
It's not gonna happen.
Rygel.
You and Sikozu get down here quickly.
Right.
Oh! Do you know I've been looking for | this opportunity for so long.
I've wanted to get you alone.
| There are so many things I don't know about you You know Doc, you might want to give her | a reason not to kill you.
To cure you, I need Qatal mollusks | and I can no longer get them.
Why not? | Credit problems? Let me explain the sociopolitical situation | on Khurtanan.
As you may know, | females are oppressed here, but there is a resistance movement | planning a violent coup to seize power.
Girl power.
So what? They possess the only Qatal mollusks | on this planet.
They employ them to eliminate | certain males in power.
So why use the mollusks? Secrecy.
The Qatal symptoms are not known on this planet.
They are mistaken for space madness.
Yah, and anyone with space madness is | put down like a rabid dog.
We got that part.
Correct.
But during an autopsy on one | of the victims, I saw the real cause.
I found out who was responsible and I made a deal my silence for some of the mollusks.
So you use them for extortion | and they use them for coup by clam.
We still don't care.
Apart from the obvious | why did they just try to kill you? I assume that their big takeover attempt | must be imminent.
Possibly they're afraid I might expose them.
All I can do is refund two thirds of your currency.
Oh no! You're going to tell me | where the females are.
I thought you might need some help | with your equipment.
I'm fine.
Sure you are.
Sister! You can't tell Mekken! He'll kill me.
Oh? Well maybe I'll kill you.
What have I done to you? I told you, I'm just here to do a job.
Yah? Well then why the sex change, hmm? I don't think you're here to help us.
I think you're here to spy on us.
To make sure we eat those frelling mollusks! I don't know what you're talking about.
I'm here to help you.
Fixing your Leviathan.
Then what's with this? What's with the change? Because women on my world | aren't allowed to do this sort of work.
Sure.
You don't believe me I'll go.
Get someone else some male to stop your ship from going mad.
All right, all right, all right, all right.
| Okay, maybe maybe you're not lying.
No maybe.
These female revolutionaries | run a club to entertain men? Very popular with rich and powerful males including governing officials.
Then one night, | they chop some mollusk up into the hors d'oeuvres and instant coup.
- I should probably go alone.
| - No, no, no.
I got it.
Currency.
| Do we have the antidote? Just goin for that.
Oh, well, hurry up.
This place reeks of antiseptic.
Sikozu, we have a mission.
- I'm happy to go.
| - Jirl power.
Girl! Girl power! | Would you quit speakin English? Aeryn! Be careful! Considering we're linked.
I'd better go before the females try again.
I'm going to miss this planet Anybody here? Dr Tumii? - He's tied up right now.
| - So what? So, uh why don't you have a seat | and wait your turn? Tell the doctor that Ho'Ock is here now.
- What's all the commotion? | - Who are you? Dr Rygel.
Tumii's at a colon convention.
What seems to be the problem? Hmm? My zergenbobs are playing up again.
That's what you get for neglecting them.
Take off your clothes.
Here? Yes.
For some preventive bloodletting.
Most anyone can benefit from the removal | of one excess bodily fluid or another.
Inflamed zergkenbobs, you say? Well, I think we should take a look hmm? Take care of yourself.
What the hell's the matter with you? I'm operating.
You looking for work? No.
We don't open for another arn.
We'd like to talk to Selva.
Who? Your boss.
You claim to know her? No but we have heard that she's trying to improve conditions | on this planet for females.
It's a worthy cause.
Causes need currency.
So we'd like to discuss a business deal.
Not interested.
We'd prefer to hear that from Selva.
No, you wouldn't.
Sikozu are you up for this? Crichton! I think the girls are in trouble! That's brilliant, Holmes.
I am Selva.
You wanted to speak to me? Not if this is how you treat your friends.
Why don't you untie us? You're not my friends.
Yes, you're right.
| That's a good point.
We're not your friends.
We've come to buy something from you | at whatever the price.
Two Qatal mollusks.
Even if they're telling the truth, | we can't take that chance.
Of course not.
But killing them will only cure | whoever it is they're linked with.
Leaving them free to take revenge.
However, if we keep our captives alive Then their partners will be drawn here.
Where they can all die at once.
Ain't no way in hell I'm wearin that.
Have I spent an arn shopping for nothing? We have to get into that club.
Aw, we can just go as we are.
The elite male clientele are all known | and know one another.
Therefore, we can't go as males.
Well, I ain't goin as Maid Marian in look at that.
That is not a slimming color.
| Black is a slimming color.
Maybe maybe if it was black, but uh uh.
I wear that color all the time.
Look, stay here and die from the mollusks.
| I'll go alone.
Told you we'd get in.
You say that like it's a good thing.
One down, three to go.
Get in, get the girls, get the clams, get out.
Come over here.
| Keep your head down.
We need to blend in.
Blend in? Hell, when we got here, | the clocks stopped.
We couldn't blend in on Butt-ugly Night.
- What have we got here? | - Oh! I love a powerful woman.
You put your hand on my ass again | and I will kill you.
You're the first one who's ever guessed | that I wasn't really a male.
It wasn't a guess.
I know a male when I see one.
Pretending to be a male isn't so bad.
How do you stand covering up who you are? Men get treated better.
There must be lots of places you could go | where you don't have to pretend.
My home planet's a lot worse than this one.
I ran away a long time ago.
Never regretted it for a microt.
Khurtanan's my home.
And I won't have to masquerade forever.
| Sooner or later, women will take power.
You! Put down your tools and strip.
Hey! Leave her alone.
Stand clear or you'll both die.
Come on! You killed Mekken! Resume your work.
Let's dance.
What's the problem? You don't talk.
Darling I don't dance.
I do.
Crichton isn't responding.
His comms may be turned off.
Or he could be incapacitated by the Qatar mollusks.
Perhaps we should contact | the planet's authorities.
And if they inquire after Mekken? Well what can we do? You can do nothing.
Have their better halves arrived? Can't tell.
Too many new faces.
Give me fifty microts, | then cut off one of their fingers.
That should tell us.
Isn't this nice? With the right partner I could do it all night.
I really don't think I'm the right partner for you.
I do.
You know, as much as I love a man in uniform shouldn't you be on duty or something? I am on duty.
This looks promising.
Yes Excellent! - You.
| - Not her! Something wrong? Headache.
No! Not her! Are you volunteering? - Yes.
| - No! - Leave her alone.
I brought her here, so | - Shut up, Aeryn! | - Shut up! Fine Nooooo! - Are you all right? | - Yah.
I am.
I am floating! I could I could use a drink.
To the bar, shall we? Didn't work.
No one reacted.
Wait there.
Pervert! Ryg? How you makin out? I've got the mollusks.
- What about the girls? | - Don't know.
If they're here, I can't find them.
- Oh, we got to find them fast.
| - That's your job.
I did my part.
I'm leaving.
You're not runnin out on me? I can't help it.
| I'm overwhelmed with dread.
That's the clams talkin.
And worse still, | my limbs are starting to go numb.
Damn it, Rygel.
| The Doc told us what that meant.
Should I try the other one? It's too late.
| She's already entered the final phase.
The link will get more unstable | until she and her partner die.
Oh! If we're not cured soon, we're dead.
You get the girls.
| I'll get these clams to the doctor.
It's antidote time.
Rygel? Rygel? Scorpius Consuming the remnants of the discarded | mollusks seems a risky plan.
Are you certain that once | you've linked with the others you can endure the symptoms and | delay their deterioration? Certain? No.
Confident? Yes.
I've tried once more to contact them, but - there's still no response from | - From nothing! Noranti I'm really thirsty Oh, it's gorgeous.
But I don't want any more.
Let's get this filter in place.
That oughta do it.
Pilot? Restore the primary path | and see if it's all working.
Restoring now.
Uncanny! It's so quiet.
The filter works perfectly.
Moya and I sincerely thank you.
You gonna be alright? - On Khurtanan? | - Yah.
Sure.
Name change, new identity.
I've done it before.
I've got friends who help.
I'll probably end up in an even better job.
You're a frelling optimist.
Hard to be a revoluntionary if you're not.
Now, really.
| I should go powder my face.
- I think you look beautiful just as you are.
| - No, you don't.
Yes, I do.
The moment I saw you | in the doctor's office.
You couldn't fool me for a microt.
Not with a face like that.
All right.
Here's the deal.
I lost a bet.
There's no need to lie to me.
If you treat me nicely | I might not even have to arrest you.
Arrest? Dressing up is not a crime.
Yes it is.
But impersonating a doctor | is an even worse one.
Central Registry shows no record | of your offworld friend.
Who is he? | And where is he? This won't help you without your linked partner.
You know? So, why don't you, uh set me free? Shut up! Work! There's only one thing | I like more than dancing.
Interrogations Long, hard interrogations.
Oh God! You'll tell me now, or you'll tell me later.
I'm told it's a terrible death.
Wish I could make it quicker.
Get your hands off! I me my nose! You bit off my nose! There's plenty left.
| Now, get back to work.
Don't be shy I thought we were done.
- What happened? | - I do not know.
Why did you volunteer your finger? Do your appendages reattach? Tell me of anything suspicious at all.
Hi.
Don't ask.
| It was Rygel's idea.
He's got the clams.
| We got to figure a way out of here.
All the exits are guarded.
- Maybe sumpin I can do.
| - Right! Scuse me ladies.
| Can I have your attention? - Do any of you have | - Give me that.
- one of these under your skirt? | - Now! Aeryn! Yah! Girl power! That's it.
Just one more bite.
Oh, good! Oh thank you for preparing the cures.
I'll leave this mollusk in the garbage outside.
But it will be consumed by drozil flies | or a wild flibisk.
You can't do that to me.
I risk to differ.
Mmm Nice mollusk.
What's that? | One more mouthful? Oh! Look at that! | Isn't that amazing? Now that we study.
No.
That we will throw away.
Everyone? The cure works.
| Ours is finished.
- D, how long did yours take? | - No time at all.
Frelling forever.
- Three arns.
| - Three arns ! Three arns? - That's not that long.
| - For some Well, put your hands together | and feel the power.
Yah! Out with the evil spirits! | Give me your hand, Ryg.
Go away.
I'm hungry.
You're not eating anything until | we are completely seperated.
The antidote has already dissolved | our emotional linkages.
I don't want to take any chances.
I hate to bring this up, | but Scorpius ate the mollusks as well.
Yes.
To link with the four of us | and temporarily override our symptoms.
We would be dead by now if he had not.

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