A bumbling burglary upsets delicate negotiations between Rygel, D'Argo and Scorpius.

Written by Matt Ford
Directed by Peter Andrikidus

The first stage of Crichton�s campaign to stop Scorpius learning to use the wormhole technology begins with D�Argo and Rygel meeting Scorpius in an alien diner to discuss an amnesty. If he will arrange for everyone else on Moya to be returned free to their home worlds, Crichton will help Scorpius work on wormholes.

That�s the deal on the table, but before any one can make too many moves, two new aliens burst in to the diner and take hostages.

At first, didn�t you think that they were part of Crichton�s plan? As it was, it was a coincidence too far and turned part of the episode into a kind of SF Dog Day Afternoon.

Fortunately while D�Argo and Rygel were off being held up, and through adversity forming trusting bonds with Scorpius that hopefully they will soon betray, Crichton and the gang on Moya had their own and more surprising problems.

Talyn, so long a good thorn in the plot, may be being brought to an end because his nervous sensitivity exploded � as did a hospital ship that he fired on in a panic. The scale of that shot was a nicely done surprise, though it was also a convenient way to rid us of the Scarran left over from last week, but the bigger issue was what it led to.

At the moment it looks as if Talyn is going to be lobotomised because of it and he�s surely not going to go calmly.

But then that�s what the remaining two-part story and season finale are going to be about. We'll just have to wait and see.

Review by William Gallagher