John, D'Argo, Sikozu, Aeryn and Chiana land on a planet divided by generations of clan war. Chiana quickly upsets the local women enough to be banished. As D'Argo tries to smooth things over with Gaashah - a clan leader - John negotiates with the planet's Prefect for the others to be allowed to stay. As he leaves the Prefect's castle, E'Alet, an offworlder, threatens him.

Sent back to Moya in Aeryn's Prowler, Chiana manages to route around its controls and lands back on the planet, surprising Sikozu and Zerbat, Gaahshah's son, in the middle of a romantic tryst.

Meanwhile, after experiencing strange hallucinations, Aeryn is subliminally coerced into assassinating Gaahshah. She flees from the site, and is trailed by Zerbat, who drags John along for aid.

As Zerbat, with Sikozu, searches one trail, Aeryn appears and speaks to John. She has no memory of shooting anyone. A strange local priest, Paroos, then appears, and reveals that Gaahsah was not the first clan leader to have been assassinated in strange circumstances. Racking her memory for why she shot him, Aeryn remembers that an insect bit her - but there are no insects on the planet.

Crichton is then bitten too, and suddenly has flashes of shooting Paroos. They realise that an offworlder must be responsible for directing the mind-altering insects, so they all head off to the castle to confront E'Alet.

Reaching the castle, they find E'Alet and a blind Chiana, who has seen the insects swarm from his head at the Prefect's bidding. E'Alet uses his mental control, through the insects, to try to force John and Aeryn to shoot one another. Only the arrival of Zerbat and D'Argo prevents this.

Chiana explains what she saw, and Zerbat confronts the Prefect, accusing him of his father's murder. Rather than face justice, the Prefect jumps to his death. With peace restored, all return to Moya; Sikozu sadly as it means leaving her lover.