Selto Durka was a minor antagonist in the sci-fi TV series Farscape. An infamous Peacekeeper commander, he was captain of the command carrier Zelbinion over a century before the events of the series began. He was portrayed by David Wheeler.
History[]
Captain of the lost command carrier Zelbinion, Durka was believed to have died over a hundred cycles ago. Viewed by Peacekeepers as one of their greatest leaders, the truth was far darker. In truth, Durka was a hateful, conniving, violent coward, whose malicious cruelty was well above standards, even for a Peacekeeper. Rygel, while imprisoned on the Zelbinion, learned first hand exactly how cruel Durka could be, and suffered unknown cycles of constant torture under Durka's watchful eye.
Several cycles after Rygel was transferred, the Zelbinion was lost. The Zelbinion was attacked by the Nebari, severely crippling the ship and killing most of the crew. Durka, in an attempt to escape, killed a junior officer, and dressed the said officer in his uniform, in hopes the Nebari would believe he had committed suicide, covering his escape. The ruse was all for naught as the Nebari captured him in the end and subjected him to 100 cycles of mental cleansing.
Durka appears in the flesh in the episode "Durka Returns", having only recently been released from cryostasis after his many cycles of mental conditioning. He is aboard a Nebari vessel along with Salis and Chiana when they collide with the Leviathan Moya. Durka and the two Nebari are allowed aboard Moya for refuge until another ship comes to collect them. Rygel, horrified to see his former torturer alive and well, vows to murder him.
Building a makeshift bomb, Rygel made a botched assassination attempt and instead "knocked" him out of the mind cleansing. Durka, now returned to his old self, determined to regain his former glory and attempted to overtake Moya. He was ultimately thwarted, thanks, in part, to Chiana, who pretended to be on his side and lured him into a trap. In the end John sent Durka afloat in space on the now-derelict Nebari ship.
Death[]
In the second season episode "Liars, Guns and Money - Plan B", Rygel discovered Durka to be the new leader of a band of Zenetan pirates. Durka, amused by the Dominar's attempts to negotiate with the Zenatans for mercenary service, captured Rygel alive and attempted to murder him as revenge for their last encounter.
However, Rygel was prepared for this: as soon as Durka was in range, he stabbed him in the chest with the prong of an electric cable, killing him instantly. Impressed, the pirates subsequently agreed to Rygel's proposal to provide him with aid. For the next several days, Rygel carried Durka's severed head on a staff as testimony to his final victory over the man who robbed him of so many cycles.