Meeting 8 (2/1/00)

This eighth meeting of the Aeryn Sun Interpretation Society and Widow's and Orphan's Emergency Beer Fund will now come to order. The membership is reminded of our motto: Clean mind, clean body. Take your pick.

And 'Scapers, our long national nightmare is over. Isn't it wonderful to once again have our minimum weekly requirement of Raven Haired Goddessness? But do allow me to ask of the Powers That Be in Farscapeland concerning the looooooong, sloooooow, frelling MONTHS between episodes: Don't ever do that again. UCSBdad is not a young man. This sort of strain is not good for him. But, if Claudia has a little time, there is a form of strain that is good for UCSBdad. Just kidding UCSBmom!!!!

Christmas. New Years. Y2K. UCSBson home. UCSBdaughter's homework tutoring. Chats. Work. Fanfic. This is enough to drive a man from drink. 'Twas a woman who drove me to drink. I never wrote to thank her

Please note there will be a change in the program tonight. Due to circumstances beyond our control, The Claudia Black Tabernacle Choir will not be able to perform Mozart's "Ode to Joy of a Raven Haired Goddess". That is of course "Bubba" Mozart, one of fine members of the Society and Fund. Thanks for the tunes, "Bubba". Too bad, I was so looking forward to the "Dueling Tubas Sonata".

In a related issue, there has been a sudden and serious reduction in the Emergency Beer Supply. Due to this, UCSBdad has seriously considered the introduction of dues for membership in the Society and Fund, however, we have decided to again open the vaults, and for a limited time only, sell those famed photos of Moya in a wet tee shirt. Despite the snide remarks of some, this does not constitute the lewd and lascivious exploitation of the female of the species. Our attorneys, Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe have assured me that our redeeming social content is there. It's our pornography that sucks.

There is a new Bulletin Board group dedicated to our Raven Haired Goddess. CBOOL, which stands for, Claudia Black is Out of Our League. It is a group of, I believe all males, who have banded together to try to deal with the trauma of realizing that the Beautiful Claudia Black is forever out of our grasp. Let's face it. Even if UCSBdad managed to meet the Delightful Miss Black and managed to stammer out a heart felt plea that she run away with me to be beachcombers on the Sea of Cortez, the best I could hope for would be to watch her dissolve in hysterical giggles. Polite, warm, generous, friendly, sincere, lovely giggles, but giggles none the less. So, all of us who realize that our Raven Haired Goddess belongs to everyone else but me, CBOOL awaits.

We're catching up a little on the PKs. Someone on the BB inquired how Scorpius can be such a force in the Peacekeepers if they look down on all other forms of life as inferior?

Let's consider the Romans and the Greeks. The Greeks had a brilliant culture when Rome was a pushy little burg on the Tiber. Greek cultural influence spread from Spain into Afghanistan. There was a distinct Greco-Bhuddist religious art form in Central Asia due to Alexander's conquests. The Greeks were famous scientists, philosophers and writers. The Romans were good engineers and good soldiers. No, make that very good soldiers and engineers. Regrettably for the Greeks, the Roman Legion was a more flexible tactical unit than the Greek phalanx. Okay, as usual, there is more to it than that, but not now, okay? So the Romans over ran Greece and called the Greeks a bunch of un-manly losers. Not like the big, tough manly Romans. But the Romans still had a sense of cultural inferiority where the Greeks were concerned. So, while the Romans put up tags in Roma that said "Romans Rule, Greeks Suck", all of your upper class Roman children got their very own Greek tutor in hopes that they would be tough and smart. They didn't do too badly, right? So maybe that's it. The PKs publicly say, "Damn, but we're macho! We rock!!" But deep down inside, they're afraid they aren't as smart as Scorpius and his race?

Let us also consider what was probably the most ideologically racist nation in history, Nazi Germany. Now there was a group with a serious belief in the inferiority of every one else. But, the Germans recruited well over a half million "inferior" Russians into their army to fight against the Soviet Union. The SS, which was supposed to be the fighting arm of the "master race", had Italian, Hungarian, Bosnian and Albanian Muslim, Croatian, Ukrainian and Balt divisions by the end of WWII. Why? They were losing the war, of course. Nobody knows what would have happened to all of the "inferior" soldiers if Germany had won, but if I were Scorpy, I'd have a back up plan ready. So perhaps things aren't going too well for our Peacekeepers.

Consider. Scorpius tells Commander Javio that he thinks Crais has gone renegade. And Javio's response is? Absolutely nada. Apparently the idea of the commander of a Command Carrier going renegade isn't enough to even get a reply out of old tall, bald and repulsive. And does anyone complain about inviting a renegade to drop by? It looks like senior commanders in the Peacekeepers are pretty much a law unto themselves. And when Crais arrives, Crais and Scorpy make no particular secret that each is promoting his own agenda to the detriment of the Peacekeeper Council. They aren't exactly holding a public meeting, but their subordinates are within hearing distance when Scorpy tells Crais he doesn't care about Crais's dereliction of duty. If these guys aren't even bothering to pay lip service to their loyalty to the Council, the Council's authority doesn't run very far. In "Family Ties" it doesn't look to UCSBdad like Scorpy is trying to turn in Crais to support Truth, Justice and the Peacekeeper Way, but rather because Scorpy would like his very own Command Carrier.

Next, Crais's crew. His Executive Officer dies of a broken neck while she's alone with Crais? Isn't this just a small hint that your beloved CO is a few pickles shy of a sandwich? Now, Crais obviously has to keep out of the Council's way for a while. No re-supply. No communications with home. I mean you can't have Robert Stack showing up on "Sebacea's Most Wanted" with Bialar Crais as the thug of the week. From his conversation with Scorpius, he's making an attempt to show a surface loyalty to the Council by denying he ever got an order to return, but he isn't very believable and I donít think either of them care.

But didn't Crais's XO say that her first loyalty was to her captain? I guess that most of Crais's crew are loyal to him personally and not to the PK Council. Which makes me wonder why Crais killed his XO. Maybe Crais had some reason not to trust the blonde Lieutenant Teeg. But it does appear that Crais's crew is perfectly willing to follow their leader even when things are getting very strange and forget about the Council.

Oh, yes. And the envelope, please. The Caledon Hockley Think Alike Award for 2000 goes to Commander Javio. You bet, Titanic fans, our beloved baldy was right there ready to be the first one off the base if it was going to blow up. Just think of what he could have done if the base had hit an iceberg. He reminds me of some of my most favorite lines from Officer Effectiveness Reports. "This officer has the manners of an organ grinder and the morals of his monkey." "This officer's men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity." "This officer can always be used as a bad example." I mean would you follow Javio into combat? How do you say "frag" in Sebacean?

I really think that the Peacekeepers are in deep kimche as a society. They remind me of the late Roman Empire or Republic of China for the period from the fall of the Manchus, (1911) to the Communist victory, (1949). Each had control of some elite troops, (like Larraq's Special Ops team), but nowhere near enough of them to control all of their claimed territory. They had control of some economically valuable territories from which they could fund a limited military. They also had a certain moral authority as the legitimate government. But out on the frontiers of the empire, local generals recruited barbarian allies and made their own rules. Roman generals liked to have their armies declare them Emperor, even if they were only Emperor over a small part of the Empire, and the Chinese of that period gave us the term "warlord".

I'd be willing to bet that one good kick, like Adrianople, 378 AD, could start the Peacekeepers on a downhill slide. For all of you non-Liberal Arts majors out there, (Aren't I ever going to shut up on that?) Adrianople was Romans v. Goths with the Goths beating the spread big time. (No, not those Goths. Big, hairy barbarians from the steppes.) The Eastern Romans lost a good part of their army, (plus their Emperor),which accelerated the trend of hiring untrustworthy barbarians to defend the Empire. The Western Empire lasted for another century, to 476 AD, but within twenty years or so, the Empire started shedding entire provinces, such as Britain and Africa. It was all downhill from there.

Like the Roman and Chinese central governments, the Peacekeeper Council probably has enough carrots and sticks at their disposal to make a renegade like Crais or Scorpius cooperate for a while. But as soon as another crisis comes along and the Council troops keeping Crais in line leave, or money to bribe Crais into doing his duty runs out, Crais is back to being on his own. The other Command Carrier commanders, Provincial Governors, Army commanders would be the same, loyal only when the Council could make it worth their while. I suppose Crais, like most corrupt warlords has his own logistical and financial set up. "Nice little planet you got there, bud. Wouldn't it be a shame if something happened to it?"

Consider what the generals and others who run places like Myanmar (was Burma), Serbia, Congo, Nigeria (until recently), Liberia and Angola have done. You can sell off the national patrimony to acquisitive multi-nationals and live off the fat of the land, AND still have enough left over to fund an army that can violate human rights with the best of them and occasionally defeat your enemies. Look at Crais's quarters. UCSBdad was in the Air Force, but did on occasion manage to get a look at the other service's quarters, (a Navy Captain's cabin, a USAF general's personal transport and some VIP quarters). They weren't any where near as spacious as Crais's, although I admit that Sebacean Heat Delirium is too good for his interior decorator. And while Crais lives in luxury, some grunt is getting his bones nibbled on by M'Lee.

Some one on the BB suggested that Farscape has a Grand Design, such as Babylon 5, and that it involves a war against the Peacekeepers. I don't know if that's true, but it looks more and more to me like the Peacekeepers can be had. And is not our Rocket Jockey and his Beloved Raven Haired Goddess, and their many friends just the people to have them? All power to the Workers and Peasants Uncharted Territories Liberation Army! All good 'shippers must understand this: political power grows from the barrel of a gun. But the 'shippers must always command the gun. The gun can never command the 'shippers. OOOOH. Sounds like the old Dad is starting to get a little worked up about the lack of resolution in John and Aeryn Getting Together. Patience, Grasshopper, patience.

Now, we find that Crais is a conscripted peasant who made good in the Peacekeepers. Aeryn is apparently not a test tube baby, but has a mommy and a daddy. But who are the Elite that Crais mentions in Hidden Memory? Forgive me for finding a fault with Aeryn Sun, but I think she's a little naive politically to be part of the Peacekeepers Elite. I can see her as a Special Ops Captain, but not as Admiral Sun. But, do stay tuned, buckaroos. Note, however, that a lot of Third World armies and guerilla movements recruit real young children, as they are easier to train and after a few years knowing nothing but war, they are very hard to un-train. Read up on Sierra Leone, Liberia, or God's Army in Myanmar if you're interested.

I'm sorry that Gilina succumbed to the Red Shirt Ensign Syndrome. That gets done on every show Hollywood has ever produced with the possible exception of Rocky and Bullwinkle. What I like about Farscape, is that it, so far, has not been like every other show and recycled the same old plot devices. I would have liked to have seen Gilina live.

Of course, being a confirmed 'shipper, she couldn't have hung around and gotten in the way of our Beloved Raven Haired Goddess. But a little thought by the writers could have gotten us out of this.

GILINA: (Breaking a fierce lip lock with John) "Just to be on the safe side, you are the male of your species, aren't you, John?"

JOHN: (Smiles, and does something with Gilina below the line of sight of the camera.)

GILINA: (Looking shocked.) "I'm sorry, John. But, well, I need a man who is, well, hung like a Crais." (Gilina runs from John.)

JOHN: (Looking confused.) "Aeryn, will you come here and look at something?"

By the way, did you hear about the plastic surgeon who hung himself?

I do like Scorpius as a villain. He's intelligent and completely cold blooded. He's a nice match for Crais who is driven by hate. They make a real fun couple. Much like Aeryn and John, I think they'll be more interesting together than as individuals. The only thing I don't like about Scorpius is his appearance. He looks like what Hollywood would come up with if asked to produce a villain. You know, the long dead look and the black leather. I think that the best villain Hollywood ever came up with was Norman Bates in "Psycho". Farscape's best villain, to me, was John, when he was taken over by the virus in "A Bugs Life". Historically, if you look at the villains who have peopled Nazi Germany, or Stalin's Gulags and Cambodia's killing fields, the greatest villains were your precise, fussy bureaucrat types. Heinrich Himmler, who ran the Holocaust, supposedly got ill at the sight of blood. Cambodia's Pol Pot looked like your basic grandfatherly type in baggy fatigues. I really believe that a more normal looking villain is more frightening, because you can really believe that the guy next to you in the store, or where ever, really could be a cold blooded killer. Basically, villains are just like the rest of us on the outside.

Imagine Scorpy and PK Barbie after a hard day torturing the lesser races, unwinding at the officer's lounge.

SCORPIUS: "You know, if I don't get promoted from being a journeyman torturer stuck in Gammak base in the middle of nowhere, I'm going to seriously think about changing my career field. I understand Personnel has an opening for a Grievance Procedures Specialist. Would that be right up my alley, or what?

PK BARBIE: One of my friends got into Finance, auditing expense account vouchers. Sure, there's a lot of travel involved, but I can really see a future in that for someone with my skills.

See, just your everyday bureaucrats. As a matter of fact, since Scorpy is sort of set in stone now, maybe Rockne could use a new villain. Someone wise in the ways of the bureaucracy. Hardened by cycles of trying to figure out what the Hell policy is supposed to be. Someone who has seen an amendment to a regulation that actually said, "Change all "nevers" to "always" and all "always" to "nevers". Someone who can read a court decision refining the concept of a well grounded claim and still be able to walk and chew gum at the same time after he's done. Rockne, Baby. UCSBdad is ready. What's my motivation? I'm all packed for the trip to Oz. You'll be sure to recognize me at Sydney Airport. I'll be the one whose luggage clinks and sloshes. Then again, perhaps not. I would have to give up my day job. After all, UCSBdad does the work of three men. Unfortunately, those three men are Larry, Moe and Curly.

Speaking of Officers Lounges, UCSBdad mis-spent a good deal of his youth in Officers Clubs. I practically lived in them. The ones out in the middle of nowhere, where men outnumber women by five to one, or better, are a little rowdier than that. We needed some PK junior officers around the juke box singing, spilling drinks and playing dead bug.

Macho, Macho Man,
I want to be a macho man.

I mean the leather suits makes that song a must. And could we see one of them with a few feathers? A cowboy hat? Then again, perhaps disco night at the Gammak Base O Club is a concept best left for the future.

I just can't understand why my great ideas just don't work out. For example, in 1988 when the Veterans Administration became the Department of Veterans Affairs, they asked the employees for ideas for the new logo. Mine was perfect. Three blind mice standing knee deep in rat shit, stabbing each other in the back. I didn't even get an honorable mention! There are times I wish I had been born rich instead of handsome and intelligent. Not that I haven't tried. I spent years trying to talk my father into becoming a millionaire so I could become a spoiled rich man's son. But, NO!

Speaking of Peacekeeper uniforms and sci fi uniforms in general. UCSBdad has to complain. At least Aeryn and John occasionally carry what appear to be M1968 ammo pouches. But does anyone on Star Trek ever go on an away mission carrying a canteen? How about a couple of day's worth of rations and ammunition? First aid kit or shell dressing? Aeryn has oculars, but these get worn only occasionally. Could we just once see an away team composed entirely of Second Lieutenants clustered around a map wondering where the Hell they are?

Your basic infantryman of the 20th or 21st Century carries about 70 to 80 pounds of gear, which was about what the average Roman miles (infantryman) carried two millennia before. Now, gear may be lighter in the Farscape universe, but not carrying as much ammo, food and water as possible doesn't make sense. Note that when Gilina got shot, no one was able to give her immediate emergency medical care to stabilize her.

And what about the uniforms themselves? Star Wars Stormtroopers wear white armor, which at least works on an arctic world, but they stand out like a giant Panda in the College of Cardinals anyplace else. Star Trek's away teams go into combat wearing the same colorful uniforms they wear on shipboard. The Peacekeepers are big on red and black. Black is good if you are planning to hold a battle in a coal mine, but otherwise it stands out. The bright red you could see on the PK soldiers armor in "A Hidden Memory" does nothing but make the wearer a better target. Even the Special Ops uniforms Aeryn and John wear are a dark pink with black pinstripes and black leather. Remember, if you can be seen, you can be killed. And the metal and leather used in the Peacekeeper uniforms is reflective, which, of course, makes it easier to spot. The more so if your opponent can detect your heat signature. Even the soldiers from the "I, ET" world had on red jumpsuits that appeared to come from the LA County Jail. The problem, I suppose, is that this is entertainment. Dress Aeryn Sun in body armor, a helmet, some sort of night vision equipment, communications gear, camouflage cream on her exposed skin, and a nice rucksack, and you can't tell Aeryn from John. And we do want to be able to watch our Raven Haired Goddess, right?

Speaking of our Raven Haired Goddess, and we do like to do that don't we? What is it with John and alien women? I realize that this is television and people are expected to fall madly, passionately in love between the opening credits and the first commercial, but really. Gilina falls for John after a brief meeting and Aeryn, Commando Trained Born To Be A Peacekeeper is right behind. Let's remove Aeryn's Commando uniform and........Danger UCSBdad. Danger. Eyes are glazing over. Blood pressure and pulse are rising. Respiration is becoming shallow. My, even thinking about our Raven Haired Goddess like that gives old UCSBdad a giant woodie. Although, I'm sure it's entirely unintentional on Claudia's part. After all, Dad doesn't believe in love at first sight. He does believe in lust at first sight, though, and he can still recall our first glimpse of Aeryn Sun in Premiere. But UCSBdad is, of course, in love with his own Blonde Haired Goddess, UCSBmom. Do we hear a sigh of relief from Sydney?

Once more. Let us imagine Aeryn Sun dressed differently. Let's put her in a nice white KKK sheet and make John an African American. Imagine our Aeryn falling for John in those circumstances. Sort of puts their relationship in a different perspective, no? It makes me see more problems with the Peacekeepers. Their best people seem to lose what passes for ideals in the PK universe with little difficulty. And does anyone doubt that Aeryn and Gilina, in their own respective spheres, are the PKs best?

And let's not forget Chiana. She starts out as a thief who, if she isn't the one who killed her captor, would have done so, in "Durka Returns". In" Through the Looking Glass", all she wants to do is bail out. In "A Bugs Life", she's being a self centered thief, again. And all of a sudden in "Nerve", she's volunteering to go along with John?

Do we need another episode of Jerry Springer? Today's topic is Human Men Who Won't Commit To Alien Ladies.

Open with a far shot of John sitting on one side of the stage, dressed in his black PKs. On the other side are Zhaan, Chiana and Aeryn. Zhaan is dressed in a conservative blue tailored suit, Chiana is in a red minidress and Aeryn is in her PK Special Ops uniform.

Jerry Springer: "So, Zhaan. Tell me about your relationship with John, here."

Zhaan: "What relationship? We had unity together, and...."

JS: "Unity? Maybe you should explain that to our audience."

Zhaan: "He (motioning to John) said unity was like Disney on acid or ten years of great sex."

JS: "This isn't a substance abuse problem, is it? Unity isn't some sort of designer drug, is it? That's for next week's show."

Zhaan: "No it's a religious thing. But we had unity and now he never calls me and when I ask how he is, all I get are these weird human expressions. "

John: "Look, I'm sorry, but Zhaan is 812 years old and she's only middle aged. It's hard to commit to a woman if you're only going to be a brief part of her life. And my shrink says I have a lot of issues with older women due to my mother's death and my dad always being away."

JS: "Can you tell us about you and John, Chiana?"

Chiana: "I don't know what I can say. We went to the Gammak base together. Sure, I knew he went for Aeryn's sake, but I mean, can't we just be friends? It's not like I don't try to tell him how I feel."

JS: "The Gammak base? Isn't that a club in New York? Down in the Village?"

Chiana: "No, Dementoid. It's in the Uncharted Territories."

JS: (Looks offended, but says nothing.)

John: "The Gammak base! Chiana drank enough raslak to float the damned base and she let every male in the place know what her feelings were. Not to mention she's a thief and proud of it. I just can't relate to her or trust her."

Chiana: "Oh. And Mr. Perfect didn't get wasted on Namtar's asteroid? I heard about that one. You can trust Mommy here, or Tentacle Boy after what they did to Pilot? I'm in a twelve step program and I'm facing my problem one day at a time. And I'm not a thief, anymore. Don't you ever forget a girl's past, John Boy? I'm going to Junior College to get my general education requirements, and when I'm done........Well, then I'll show you a thief." (Chiana turns away from John and makes eye contact with a man in the audience.)

JS: "Aeryn Sun, it's good to see you back again."

Aeryn: "Good to be here, Jerry. Please excuse me for coming in my work clothes. I had to destroy a 200 ton nuclear powered, artificially intelligent tank."

JS: You look great in those, Aeryn. What does the audience think? (Audience screams, shouts, claps, whistles and stomps their feet. Aeryn smiles.)

JS: "But, please, Aeryn. Tell us how you really feel about John."

Aeryn: (Doesn't say anything, but looks at John and raises her eyebrow slightly.)

John: (Also doesn't say anything, but looks at Aeryn and smiles, slightly.

Aeryn: (Smiles, but then looks away from John.)

COMMERCIAL: First, the beer commercial. The frogs have Louie the Lizard mounted on the ferret with a noose around his neck. They slap the ferret's butt and do the dance of joy while chanting "Bud" "Wei" "Ser". Next is an ad for First Wave, which consists entirely of shots a scantily clad blonde. Then the obligatory techie commercial where UCSBdad wonders why the old fudd who needs to be helped by Stewart seems so familiar.

FADE IN: The camera pans to John and Aeryn, cuddling in a king sized bed, red silk sheets over them. Nearby is an ice bucket with an empty magnum of Champagne, and two glasses. Black Peacekeeper clothing and two pairs of Calvins are scattered about. Is Aeryn's hand doing something under the sheets?

Aeryn: "John, Dear, how are we going to make this confusing to our audience?"

John: " I don't know, Love. This is where the writers should throw in a confusing red herring. You know, some odd camera angles, bad lighting and one of those patented Aeryn Sun looks with a statement that can be taken at least three ways."

Aeryn: "John, I don't know why, but I just have to tell you that I love you. And for some reason I want to tell you that just before we got to the New Moon of Delvia, it was you I dreamed of."

John: " I love you, too, Aeryn. I suddenly want an entire episode where we do nothing but talk to each other. And I'd like to tell everyone what really happened in that room in Sydney."

Aeryn: John, Darling, what is that noise? Haven't we heard that before?

No, it's just UCSBdad, laughing maniacally.

Roll Credits. Announcer voice over: Be sure to tune in tomorrow for "812 year old Delvians need love too, " on Jerry Springer.

Okay, 'shippers, it's time to get out that "Return of the Grievous Angel" CD and go to track six, "High Fashion Queen". I do wonder if that title has some sort of a hidden subtext? But yes, it is time for another fashion critique.

First, let's hear it for Zhaan and her gold robe and matching cummerbund. It's classy and spiritual all in one. If the Dalai Lama had the same fashion sense, well, he'd probably still be a Nobel peace prize winning exile, but you know what I mean. Looking good, Virginia Hey. Since we know what Miss Hey looks like out of makeup, lets build on that beauty, okay FS producers?

And Zhaan is a veggie? Or to be less animalcentric, she's flora? So what? Let UCSBdad tell you about some of his dates back in the sixties. No, better not.

Moving on to Chiana. I know I said she had to experiment with her look a little. I did not mean a set of baggy coveralls and Commander Javio's oldest toupee. I did like the mantilla she wore at the start of "Nerve". I think she could do the whole Spanish Senorita thing. Can't you just see Chiana flirting from behind a fan? Some combs in her hair?

I've got mariachi static on my radio, With tubes that glow in the dark, They're with you in Ensenada, And I'm here in Echo Park, Oh, Chiana, hold me tighter, Cause I think I'm sinking down, And I'm all strung out on raslak, On the outskirts of town. (With apologies to Warren Zevon.)

Rygel and D'Argo, seem to be stuck in the same old look. It must be a cultural thing. As I've said before, I can't think of anything that is going to improve Rygel except possibly distance. I still think what D'Argo wears is his Luxan General's uniform and won't change out of it. It's a shame, but then again, I haven't come up with much for a new look for him. Levi's, and a white tee shirt with a pack of Camels rolled into the sleeve? The Luxan Angels M.C. look?

Last but not least, John and Aeryn. What can we say about Aeryn Sun in the Peacekeeper Special Ops uniform? Gorgeous? Sexy? Dangerous? Vulnerable? Words fail UCSBdad and as you may have noticed, that ain't easy. I think that in "Nerve" and the first half of "Hidden Memory", she was supposed to look sick. But in the last half, from her confrontation with Crais on, she is beautiful. And notice the black mesh thingy she's wearing at the end of "Hidden Memory". I know she wore it under her PK uniform, but that does not look the least bit Peacekeeperly. A kinder, gentler Aeryn? Obviously, the pony tail is the best hair do for combat. It keeps your hair out of your eyes. But, God, is Claudia Black beautiful in "Bone to Be Wild" with her hair down.

UCSBdad has noticed in "Hidden Memory" that our Beloved Raven Haired Goddess's hair appears to be a sort of a dark auburn, at the pony tail part, anyway. Have you ever wondered about people who continually refer to themselves in the third person? Well, we are not amused. But, UCSBdad, being infallible on matters of faith and doctrine, has decided that we will continue to refer to Claudia Black as our Beloved Raven Haired Goddess.

Is John now wearing his PK Special Ops Uniform full time? What does this mean? OOOOOH. Symbolism. I knew those English Classes in college would eventually come in handy. Compare and contrast Aeryn Sun from Farscape, Lady Brett from The Sun Also Rises, and Daisy from The Great Gatsby. Give examples and be specific. This will be one third of your final grade. You didn't know UCSBdad graded your replies, did you?

Can we not see John and Aeryn becoming more like each other? The softer, gentler Aeryn matched by a tougher, harder John.

It appears that we will have to change the direction of the Society as the result of the season finale. Aeryn has had a catharsis, perhaps even an epiphany, in her confrontation with Crais. Her past is now of less importance than her future. Could you imagine the Aeryn Sun of "Bone to Be Wild" when we first saw her in "Premiere", or even in "A Bugs Life"? Aeryn now can be peaceful, content, and might I even say, happy?

I really do have to compliment Claudia Black on her acting. I realize that I am slighting the people who created the character and the writers who have contributed to Aeryn Sun. Take a character who is a professional soldier with ideas about her own racial purity. How easy would it have been to turn Aeryn Sun into some sort of a right wing parody? A cartoon of General "Bull" Right? Claudia Black was able to present Aeryn Sun as a completely believable, tough, competent soldier all the way up to "Hidden Memory", and then believably show us a warm, caring, nurturing Aeryn Sun in "Bone to Be Wild". Because that caring Aeryn Sun has always been there. She could have bailed out in Prowler just about any time, but she didn't. Sure, she insults John, but who makes sure he knows how to pilot a transport pod. And how did John learn how to use a Peacekeeper pulse weapon without overloading the chamber if Aeryn didn't teach him? Could Aeryn have just slapped D'Argo's back lightly in "Throne For A Loss" and felt bad, (insert crocodile tears here) when the big guy died? But she didn't. Aeryn has cared for the others and showed it, but didn't express that caring openly.

Dear Farscape writers. Aeryn needs a little R&R. Some down time on a peaceful commerce planet with no Peacekeepers or other villains. A nice quiet dinner with John at some romantic Old World style inn, with strolling Gypsy violinists. A bottle of Chateau Lafitte Gammak. A cozy booth by a roaring fire. A dress. Yes, definitely, a dress. Blue, I think, to match her eyes. Aeryn should smile. Aeryn should laugh. Aeryn and John should slow dance for a couple of hours, at least. And then? But we are too polite to discuss that.

Farscape is, in more ways that one, about journeys of discovery. And, so many times, the journey is at least as important as the destination. So perhaps, we can leave Aeryn Sun with the words of a human poet to consider as she journeys away from her Peacekeeper past to her new future

Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old-
This knight so bold-
And o'er his heart a shadow
Fell as he found
No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength
Failed him at length
He met a pilgrim shadow-
"Shadow," said he,
"Where can it be-
This land of Eldorado?"

"Over the Mountains Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied-
"If you seek for Eldorado!"
(E. A. Poe)

Ride, boldly, ride, Aeryn. And remember, be careful out there.

Aeryn Sun Interpretation Society and Widow's and Orphan's Emergency Beer Fund