Stark caresses Scorpius's chin. "What do you know about wormholes, Scorpius? Tell me." He says he knows nothing, and Stark calls him a liar, and hits him with some stykera heat. "I said I know nothing! Know nothing!" Ahkna watches. Finally he sags forward in the chair. Stark approaches her, wriggling like a dog. "It's a normal part of the procedure. He's strong. Very strong. That means, when he finally breaks, it'll be all the more catastrophic." Fat Man stuff. Ahkna begins to threaten him, but he reminds her of his exact promise: only that he would break Scorpius. "Not that he knows anything, but if he does, you will know." Is this the hating of Stark that so many have claimed to suffer? Has it finally struck another victim? It is painful, yet exhilarating.

Emperor Staleek comes in and calls total bullshit on Ahkna's activities. "You wanted the information taken from him!" she protests, and he points at what's left of Scorpius, which is like a stain with drool coming out of it: "Alive! I said alive! And have you learned anything?" Nope. He tells her to shut it: "Crichton has destroyed a Stryker and found a way into the caverns, but you have achieved: nothing. Get out!" That's pretty hilarious when you put it that way, actually. She claims the torture chamber as her jurisdiction, and he reminds her that that's his prerogative. He sends both her and frigging Stark out, and the Scarran soldiers follow. Staleek gives himself a pep talk about getting the truth and approaches Scorpius. "I thought you said she couldn't harm you." Scorpius is...amazing. You can barely hear him with the strangled voice, and yet. Amazing. "She couldn't! I'm fine, quite fine. I've caused enough harm in my time to mimic it well." Ha! Staleek's like, "Meanwhile John's knob is scaring everybody, and also he ate some of us with a wormhole." Scorpius claims that he can separate John from the Fat Man -- which, think about that a second, because he's not wrong -- because John trusts him more than he realizes. Staleek's like, that would be so awesome. Unless you totally betray me because he's your friend. Staleek grabs Scorpius, who smiles at him. "I've served you for ten cycles as a spy. Why would I betray you now?" I'm so confused. Is Wentrask real? Did we know Scorpius was totally a Scarran spy? There are three people in this show that I can't remember their actual deal even when they just say it out loud. He's one of them. I mean, I'm pretty sure I know his actual deal, but who can say if it's true? The Peacekeeper Wars is like doing a Magic Eye after six tabs of acid about that stuff. "Betray me, and you will die in this machine. But deliver Crichton's knowledge to me, and all the power you seek will be yours." Scorpius pants and sweats and watches Staleek leave with some righteous hate in his face. He is so smooth.