Previous Commitments

 is the seventh episode of the fourth season and the sixty-fourth overall.

Synopsis
At Zanzibar, Tex and Church argue over whether to let Andy translate what the Alien is saying. Church is concerned that Andy's lack of manners could upset the alien even further. Eventually, Church relents and agrees to this arrangement out of his curiosity as to what could happen. During this whole conversation the Alien is still beating Tucker to a pulp.

At Blood Gulch, the Reds are fracturing even more as Donut is unsuccessful in asking Grif to return to their base. Grif refuses, believing Sarge simply wants him to do work, and not just eat ice cream. In reality, Sarge did want Grif to help him eat some of the ice cream that he found. Simmons — now painted mostly blue — plays out his vengeance on the Reds. At first he attempts to cause the Reds to be jealous of him; he soon gives up and orders Sheila to open fire on Red Base.

At Zanzibar, with Andy acting as a translator, the Alien reveals that he came to retrieve the energy sword that Tucker found. It was part of the sacred quest that he was on, but the sword has now locked itself to Tucker as he was the first to find and use it; this explains why Tex was unable to use the sword. As a result, Tucker must join the Alien on its quest. If Tucker refuses, the alien will destroy the base and slaughter everyone in it.