D'argo is unharmed but humiliated. He tells Crichton that his "fraud" was impersonating a general in order to prevent his real general's capture.

Crichton is ready to leave, but Zhaan persuades D'argo to return to the Orican and confront her. He storms into her room to explain the truth of the matter.

That turns out to be just what she was waiting for. "I knew you had strength," she tells him. "I needed to know if you had fire."

On Moya, Chiana is doing some laundry in a basin of Moya's amnexis fluids. When Aeryn asks Chiana to do her laundry as well, Chiana tartly asks when she became Aeryn's servant girl.

D'argo and Zhaan return to Moya to prepare, while Crichton remains on the planet to express his concern to Nilaam. The most she can promise him is that she will do all she can to keep D'argo from harm.

When Crichton asks why the ritual is so important to her, she tells him that she has not seen a fellow Luxan in nine cycles, and is now too frail to return home. "Have you any idea", she asks "what it's like to be separated from our own kind?"

Crichton knows all about that.

The ritual begins, though Nilaam confides to D'argo that she's not ready -- "it's not easy to let go." They kneel and chant, cut their palms on D'argo's sword, and mix their blood.

Crichton waits, and worries. As their chanting rises, D'argo's sword begins to levitate, and Chiana looks up in confusion as echoes of the ritual become audible aboard the orbiting Moya.

Nilaam is amazed at the strength of D'argo's spirit -- and abruptly decides to try something far riskier than the Ritual of Passing.

There is a rush of power, and D'argo screams. Alarmed, Crichton bursts into the room just in time to see the sword fall . . .

Crichton tries to end the ritual, but Nilaam tosses his gun away with a wave of energy.

D'argo seems to be okay, though a strange goo that is not Luxan blood has oozed unnoticed from his palm. Nilaam has changed dramatically -- she's now a beautiful young Luxan woman.

On Moya, Chiana is trapped in Moya's amnexis fluids, which are unaccountably frozen. Pilot's not sure what has happened, but the Leviathan's hydraulic systems are failing on several tiers.

Nilaam explains that she decided to try the Ritual of Renewal when she senses D'argo's astonishing power. She promises him she'll make up for the pain she caused, and Crichton suddenly begins to feel like a third wheel.

After he gives the Luxans some privacy, Nilaam revels in her newfound youth. "You are glorious," D'argo tells her.

Aeryn is making no progress in freeing Chiana. Even the DRDs' lasers have little effect on the solidified amnexis.

Pilot reports a more serious problem has developed. Moya's outer skin is deteriorating.

Nilaam and D'argo are enjoying each other, and making plans to return home together from the Uncharted Territories. "Anything is possible now," she says.

The situation is worsening aboard the Leviathan. Several outer hull breaches have occurred, though Moya's inner walls are unaffected so far.

Aeryn suggests freeing Chiana with grenades. Chiana hopes she's kidding, but as Crichton -- who has returned to the ship -- points out, you can never tell whether Aeryn's kidding or not.

Rygel isn't pleased to have been awakened for the emergency, but Crichton wants him to make himself useful and check some of the small passages aboard Moya for leaks. Rygel scoffs at the idea -- hull breaches are nearly unheard of on Leviathans.

Moments later, there's a hull breach -- right in the sluice chamber where Crichton, Chiana and Rygel are standing . . .

Air whips out of the sluice chamber. Rygel is pulled out of his chair, flies across the room and neatly plugs the hole with his ample rump.

"Well, what do you know," Chiana comments. "He has made himself useful."

D'argo and Nilaam arrive to help. Nilaam attempts a healing incantation, but something goes wrong -- tremors shake the ship, and the deterioration accelerates.

Shaken, she asks for privacy to meditate. As she considers the problem, D'argo realizes that somehow the Ritual of Renewal has harmed Moya.

Nilaam explains that she didn't know -- she mistook Moya's power for D'argo's and connected with it. She's sure she can help Moya recover, but she will need to return to the planet to do research among her books and scrolls.

Aeryn has also made the connection between Nilaam's youth and Moya's deterioration. Her suspicions are confirmed when Pilot -- whose symbiosis with Moya is causing him to suffer similar effects -- tells her that Moya's symptoms are characteristic of an ancient, dying Leviathan.

Finding out that D'argo and Nilaam are leaving the ship, Aeryn promises Pilot that "I won't let Nilaam keep what she's stolen."

She gets her gun and rushes to the hangar, encountering Crichton along the way. Wasting no words, she bursts in and shoots at Nilaam.

D'argo throws himself in between the energy bolt and Nilaam. It's about to kill him when Nilaam diverts the energy and immobilizes Aeryn and Crichton.

"That won't hold them for long," she says. "We must go."

Crichton and Aeryn break free from stasis to discover that a quarter of a arn has passed. Crichton heads down to the planet.

On the planet, Nilaam has tried four incantations with no results. She encourages D'argo to leave with her in the transport pod, telling him that Moya is "just a ship."

D'argo reminds her that Moya is more than a ship -- that she is alive -- but Nilaam can't bring herself to give up the youth she's regained.

"I don't know what to do," she says. "Tell me what to do."

Crichton comes to talk with D'argo, telling him "We're out of time."

D'argo tries to defend Nilaam, reminding Crichton that she isn't evil.

"That doesn't change anything," Crichton says. Even though Nilaam intended no harm, "it's murder -- and you're the only one who can stop it."

D'argo knows what has to be done. "I came her to end this," he says, "and I will."

D'argo returns to Nilaam's chambers. "It's time," he tells her.

She agrees. Her path is set, but she doesn't know if she can follow. "I need your help once more," she says.

They begin the ritual again. He helps her strike herself down with his sword.

Moya and Pilot quickly return to normal. Chiana and Rygel are freed, and Chiana dances around the room, noting that "until today I never realized how much I love my feet."

Crichton checks on D'argo, asking "Want me to get lost?"

"Why would I want you to do that?"

"In case you wanted some time alone," Crichton says.

"I do," D'argo replies. "But not yet."