John Crichton is an IASA (International Aeronautics and Space Administration) astronaut working on an experimental project dubbed "Farscape One". During a test flight above Earth's orbit, a wormhole suddenly appears, hurling John to a distant part of the universe. Upon his exit, Crichton's space module clips another craft, a fighter, which then spins out of control and hits a nearby asteroid, killing the fighter's pilot. Crichton is set adrift, but is noticed by and rescued by a large nearby ship, named Moya, which has been hijacked by escaped convicts of various alien species. Early on, the crew must contend with a belligerent regime known as the Peacekeepers. Originally set up as a law enforcement agency, by the start of the series they have degenerated into a mercenary force...