Andromeda (2000–2005): Season 1, Episode 10 - All Great Neptune's Ocean - full transcript

I'll say this
for the old Commonwealth.

When it comes
to formal dinnerware,
you guys rule.

I do what I can.

It's all a little bit
much to me.

I mean, placecards?
Come on.

Protocol is vital
to the Castalians.

President Lee and his people
forged a republic

from a dozen habitats
and cultures,

water-breathers,
air-breathers,

beings that have lived
their entire lives in space.

Which explains why
the two fish-necks



get to hang out
with the hot chick
with the lungs.

In fact,

I think I will sit
next to the lung lady.

And create a major
diplomatic incident?
I don't think so.

Your ship is a marvel,
Captain Hunt.

I must say, you have
exceeded our expectations.

Thank you, Mr. President.
That means a lot
coming from you.

Please.

If you keep that up,
you'll swell my head.

And then this
technological miracle
won't fit anymore

and I'll be forced to spend
our entire negotiation
in a bathtub.

Mr. President,
before we proceed,

I'd like to address
some of my security concerns.

Oh, of course.



And here's the information
you requested.

I'm very impressed.
And a little intimidated.

Don't worry.
We're on the same side.

Or, we will be,
once the charter
has been signed.

Then by all means,
let's get to it.

I'd hate to stand between
the colonel and her new toys.

Certainly.

All right then,
how about this one.

It's pink.

Beka, it's a state dinner.
That means formal.
Pick something.

What if they
start shooting?

How am I supposed
to run in a dress?

Good heavens, what kind
of dinner parties
have you been to?

You know? Up until now,
life on the Andromeda's

been like living
in a first-class hotel...

With thrill rides!

You're supposed
to tie that.

I'm telling you, if Dylan
really gets 50 worlds
to sign his charter,

you know what
it's gonna be like.

Goodbye room service,
hello foreign service.

She'll have us
dressing like mannequins
every other Thursday.

Stop fidgeting!

Let's hear
the ceremonial music.

That's their
Hail to the Chief?

It's sounds more like
a tuna with a toothache!

It works
better underwater.

Protocol.

Remember,

the Castalian dignitaries
have musical cues
for everything.

Music for entering a room,
for leaving a room,
for proposing a toast.

And while they're
on this ship, we have
to respect their traditions.

The Castalian Republic
is progressive,
peaceful, and stable.

If they sign
the Commonwealth Charter,

they provide us
with instant credibility.

And we provide them
with the services

of the toughest warship
in the known universe.

Flatter me all you want.
You still have
to wear the dress.

I said tell them no!

Tell them no
as often as it takes,

and then just
tell them no again.

You'll have to forgive
Chancellor Chandos.

He never bothered
to study decorum
while he was a partisan.

I understand completely.

If all goes well
this evening,

and the Parliament approves,

then I see no obstacle
to Castalia
signing your charter.

I'll make
the announcement tomorrow

in a live broadcast
to the entire Republic.

President Lee, that's...
That's wonderful news.

For both of us.

There's been
too much darkness
since the Fall.

On Castalia,
and everywhere else,
for that matter.

It's time we turned
the lights back on.

On behalf of the
Republic of Castalia,

I would like to thank
the Andromeda Ascendant

for her gracious hospitality.

And may this be the start
of a fruitful alliance.

- Hear!
- Hear!

I offer a toast
to President Lee,

who united his people
by appealing
to their highest ideals.

May he inspire
a host of imitators.

Thank you, Reverend Bem.

I salute you
for your wisdom,
your wit,

and your excellent
judge of character.

Oh, somebody shoot me.

You think
you've got problems.

I'm never gonna score
with Captain Terrific
moving in on my turf.

President Lee is quite
the politician.

I'm lucky to work for him.
He's a great man.

He didn't have to include
the air-breathers
in his republic, you know.

We're a minority,
and it wasn't
a popular move.

Well, I hope I can live up
to his example.

I should also like
to salute President Lee.

A man possessed
of determination
and vision.

A vision to see
that Volsung Pride

could never be
a part of his republic.

And the determination
to see every Nietzschean
on Castalia slaughtered,

man, woman, and child.

The long night
has come.

The Systems Commonwealth,
the greatest civilization
in history has fallen,

but now one ship,
one crew have vowed
to drive back the night,

and rekindle
the light of civilization.

On the starship Andromeda,
hope lives again.

Tyr!

What the hell was that
supposed to be?

I was complimenting
our guest.

Don't insult
my intelligence!

I'm not the one
playing you for a fool.

Sebastian Lee
built his republic
on the bones of my people.

The Volsung
were a direct offshoot
of Kodiak Pride.

Their orbital habitat
was blown to pieces

during Lee's War
of Unification.

Seventy-five Nietzscheans!
My blood!

Like you said,
it was a war.

A war the Volsung
had already lost.

They were attempting
to surrender!

And Lee decided to solve
his Nietzschean problem
once and for all.

So, be just
a bit more careful

who you're shaking hands
with, Captain Hunt.

Your fingers might
come away bloody.

Captain, if you're curious,
then why not check
our public records.

But to confront the President
in this fashion...
Well, it's insulting.

And I won't
stand for it.

No, it's all right.

We want Captain Hunt
to be our partner.

He deserves
an explanation
if he wants one.

Captain, please understand
that the Volsung
were invaders in our system.

They looted.

They captured slaves.
They owned the sky.

We were helpless
against them.

Still, my people,
the water-breathers,

went relatively unscathed.

We had nothing
they really wanted.

We built our strength, waiting.

Eventually, they
grew complacent.

We managed
to destroy their fleet,

but before we could
move on to their habitat,

they blew it up themselves,

killing everyone aboard,

including 10,000
Castalian slaves.

They're the murderers.

Not us.

That's impossible.

Nietzscheans don't
commit suicide.

It may not
have been deliberate.

Their munitions may have
detonated accidentally.

We'll never know
for certain.

Then you'll make
your records available
to my ship's database?

Of course, Captain.

Our database is
at your disposal.

Those deaths were
a tragedy, Captain Hunt.

Exactly the kind of loss
your Commonwealth
hopes to prevent.

Please, review
the material.

If it meets
with your approval...

I still want to sign
the Charter...

Live, on camera
in front of my people,
just as we planned.

If that's
acceptable to you.

Yes, that's
quite acceptable,
thank you.

Fine, then we can broadcast
as soon as you have
checked our records

and the apology is made.

Apology?

I need a formal apology
from Tyr Anasazi.

Protocol, you know.

So tiresome.

I want you to apologize
to President Lee.

The man committed genocide.

Not according to
Castalian public records.

Or the official investigation
into the explosion.

They both say
the Volsung habitat
was taken out by friendly fire.

And you believe them?

Right now, you have one story,
the Castalians have another.

One that is
perfectly plausible.

Think more than
a few moves ahead, Tyr,

and remember the long game.

Reestablish the Commonwealth,

and we reestablish open inquiry,
accountability, and justice.

Justice.

For Nietzscheans?

For everyone.

Or there's no point.

And a big hello
to all my friends

at the Calhoun's
Corner Saloon,

where I can't wait to enjoy
my two-for-one beers
every evening at sunset.

If I ever get off this ship.

Ka-Ching!

Interplanetary pitchman,
Seamus Harper.

Sorry, was that Seamus,
or Shame-less, Harper?

Very well, that's
a little more convincing.

Tell him...
Tell him maybe.

Captain, the President's address
is in ten minutes.

Are you sure your superman
is going to show up?

Pay up.

I'm told, I owe you
an apology.

Captain, could we have
a moment alone, please.

Andromeda, engage
privacy mode.

Yes, sir.

Mr. President, the parliament
is convened,

and your speech begins
in eight minutes and 32 seconds.

Thank you.

This won't take long.

I apologize for my tardiness.
I hope I'm not too late.

You missed Tyr's
act of contrition.

Did I?

I know, I know. Pay up.

Strictly for charity, of course.

The Presidential March.

That can't be right.

What are you doing?

He's been shot.

The Nietzschean
has shot President Lee.

He's dead.

I've got him.
I've got the killer.

You put that away.

Eternal life
grant unto him...

He's having convulsions.
We've gotta get Tyr to medical.

Rommie! Get security
in here, now.

Would you close
that stupid camera!

I loved him, you know.

He was like a father to me.

And I failed to protect him.

We all failed to protect him.

It was my job.

When my parents died,

it was Sebastian Lee
who gave me a home.

It was Sebastian Lee
who made me believe

that I was worth something,
even though I'm a breather.

Rev Bem would say
that only the smallest
part of him is gone.

His spirit lives.

His accomplishments
survive him.

Now it's your job
to carry on his work.

You're right.

Thank you.

I'll have
a forensics team
here by noon

and a security team
to take the assassin
into custody.

I'm afraid I can't
let you do that.

This is my ship.

I have jurisdiction here,

and I won't have
a horde of outsiders
trampling on a crime scene.

So, what do you propose to do?

Incarcerate the killer
in your private prison?

When we identify the killer,

I'll turn him over
to Castalia for trial.

When we identify the killer?
We saw it! We were there!

We saw the aftermath,
not the crime.

I promise you,
you'll be involved

in every step
of the investigation.

But this will be
an investigation,
not a witch hunt.

You should patch into
our live feed on the Obs Deck.

You'll probably
want to see this.

Reverently do I
don this armor...

In the knowledge that
it represents my duties

as Shield of the Republic.

Citizens of Castalia,

I swear by the blood
of President Lee,

that his murderer will suffer
the ultimate justice
for his crime.

Ultimate justice?

Castalia has
the death penalty
for murder.

When all is known,

our action will be swift,
certain, and final.

Well, that was...
Inflammatory.

There are 20 billion
very angry people
in the Castalian Republic.

If Chandos hadn't assured them
of his firm intentions,

they'd come up here
and tear your ship apart
with their bare hands.

Good. Something else
to look forward to.

Tyr.

Tyr...

It's Dylan.

So it is.

Do you know where you are?

I'm in medical.
And I'm under guard.

What's the last thing
you remember?

We were in hydroponics.

You were talking about games.

So you don't remember
being on Obs Deck
with the President?

No.

But I'm going to assume
our meeting didn't go well.

While you were alone
with President Lee,

he was killed with two shots
from your force lance.

Have you worked out
who did it?

Captain,
passive sensors are detecting
movement on the Castalian moon.

I'm registering
a massive launch
from the surface.

On my way.
How many?

Over 300 ships,
and they're heading
straight towards us.

Great.

Chancellor, what's...

Mr. President,
what's going on.

Andromeda says
you've launched an armada.

Not me, Captain. My people.

Billions of Castalians
are howling for blood.

Our military high command
has decided

that I am a hostage
on your ship,

and we never bargain
with hostage takers.

So, tell them you're safe,
that you can leave
any time you'd like.

I've tried that.
They believe that
I am under duress.

There must be someone
willing to listen.

You can't let things
escalate like this.

I did not create
this situation, Captain.
Your crewman did.

If you would like it to end,

I would suggest
that you deliver the killer
to our custody. And soon.

Otherwise, I cannot
be responsible
for the actions of my people.

So if you turn Tyr over
to the Castalians,
what will they do with him?

Put him on trial,
probably a big showy one.

A fair trial?

Chandos's personality
is abrasive, but
his reputation is spotless.

And Lee was...

Well, he was
Sebastian Lee.

Which is your
long-winded way
of saying you hope so.

If you're asking me,
would I betray an innocent man

just to get my Commonwealth,
the answer is no.

But there is one question
none of us wants to ask.

Which is?

What if Tyr
isn't an innocent man?

What are you doing?

That's your reconstruction
of the crime?

As of now.

I think that's
the most pathetic
and ill-planned excuse

for an assassination
I've ever seen.

And I speak as one
who has had some...

Slight experience
in these matters.

So you would have
done things differently.

Method 1.

Slow acting poison
in his food.

A bit obvious,
but no sure way
to connect it to me.

Method 2.

Nanobots in his shuttle,
timed for reentry.

The shuttle burns up
and leaves no evidence.

Method 3.

A dart tipped
with stonefish toxin.

Primitive, but undetectable.
Mimics heart failure.

Or I could have arranged
for his breathing apparatus
to fail,

or perhaps I might
have replaced his...
I get the picture,

I get the picture.

Good.

Then there can only be
one conclusion.

I'm innocent.

Because you never
would have gotten caught.

Precisely.

Well then, now that
that's out of the way,

would you like to suggest
that the greater good
requires my surrender?

Your surrender?

For a man determined to cook
history's greatest omelet,

you're awfully squeamish
about cracking your eggs.

It's not like
he doesn't kill people.

I mean, hell, it used
to be his day job.

Yeah, but nobody
hired Tyr to kill Lee.

Did they?

All I'm saying is, and it may
sound a little selfish...

Sometimes you gotta throw
a wolf to the wolves

to keep the rest of us
from getting eaten.

Please. I could swat
that fishing fleet
of theirs in the Maru.

Yeah, and you'd
eat them for lunch.
Now there's a thought.

Do fish people eat fish?

Or is it like humans
eating monkeys or apes?

The Castalians are humans.

Genetically engineered
to breathe water,
but still human.

Besides, humans do eat monkeys.
Humans eat other humans.

As a species,
we are really
quite unpleasant.

So, Mr. Harper,
you care to update us
on the investigation?

Gladly.

I'm completely
at the colonel's disposal.
And I mean completely.

I'm sure you do.

Okay. Weaponry 101.

The force lance
is the High Guard's
favorite toy.

Retracted, it can be used
as a light source

or a scanner
or whatever else
comes to mind,

and deployed, it makes
a nifty quarterstaff or,
uh, limbo bar.

Now, in
either configuration,

it can fire tiny
attack drones, effectors,

basically smart bullets
from a smart gun.

This force lance has recently
fired two such effectors.

Timestamp matches
President Lee's death.

However, according
to the internal sensors,

the effectors were fired
at a low velocity

straight down
toward the deck.

As they slowed to zero,
they each acquired the target

and then attacked
on their own power,

like a couple of bats
out of H-E-double-hockey-sticks.

Kind of an indirect way
to shoot someone.

You're telling me.
And that's not
the weird part.

There was a full
capacitor discharge

that matches
Tyr's electric shock.

Force lances are keyed
to the owner's DNA.

If it shocked him,
it wasn't his force lance.

Oh, it definitely was his.

These are the weapon ID's
that Andromeda downloaded.

The serial numbers match.

The murder was committed
with the Nietzschean's
force lance.

The murder was committed
by the Nietzschean.

Why would he
shock himself?

Maybe he wanted it
to look like
he'd been attacked.

Nietzscheans don't
deliberately injure themselves.
It's anti-survival.

You know, none of this
makes any sense.

Assassinating Sebastian Lee
doesn't make sense.

So what if the Nietzschean
chose an eccentric way

to shoot the President.

Assassins have been
known to be eccentric.

Not Tyr.

Uh... Overbearing,
self-righteous, vain,
vicious, brutal,

way too serious,
and a little big, yeah.
But eccentric? No.

Are you sure this
isn't less about justice

than it is about pinning
the murder on Tyr?

Pinning?

Pinning?

Your crewman was alone
in a room with someone

that he had every reason
in three galaxies to want dead.

That person is now dead.

And with all your
hemming and hawing,

all you've succeeded
in doing is to prove

that he was shot
with your man's gun.

Thank you for the information.
I'll make sure it's conveyed
to the proper authorities.

Well, score another point
for informed cooperation.

Beka, in the old days,

did you ever do
any background checks

on the people
who were hiring you?

Yeah, all the time.
Better safe than sorry.

Exactly what
I was thinking.

Okay, here's what
we've got on Colonel Ironpants.

It was her job
to protect the President.

Well done.

She also had the specs
on Tyr's weapon
by her own request,

and she's awfully eager
to hang Tyr.

So we've got
method and opportunity,
but not motive.

She adored Lee.
He freed her people.

Not in time
to save her family.

They were Nietzschean slaves.

The laborers who died
on the habitat.

You don't brand your employees.
You brand your slaves.

If Tyr's right
about the Volsung Pride...

If Lee deliberately
ordered its destruction,

then he also ordered
the deaths of the forced
laborers and Yao's family.

Revenge.

Always a popular dish.

Add another name
to the list.

Which makes three.

Tyr, Yao, and who else?

Revenge is always
a solid motive for murder,

but there's another
old standard
we've been overlooking.

Power.

Impossible.

You're grasping at straws.

Am I?

Yesterday, Chandos
was chancellor.

Today he is President.
That's quite a promotion.

One which he
would have gotten
even if Lee were still alive.

Maybe he got impatient.

How long would he
have had to wait?

Ten years? Twenty?

Three days, Captain.

Sebastian Lee
was planning to resign

as soon as the charter
was ratified.

It was to be his last
great act as President.

Chandos would've been President
by the end of the week,
and he knew it.

Now, if you're through
insulting our elected officials,

I have a report to make.

Captain, a Castalian ship
is attempting forced entry
into Hangar 3.

Given the circumstances,
I'm going to have
to ask you to wait here.

They're trying
to override the door controls.

Should I just let them in?

Let them feel like
they're accomplishing something.

Welcome aboard.

Now!

Colonel.

The Castalian government
would like to make it clear
that this attack...

Was an unauthorized action
by civilian militia.

I'm sure they would.

Thank you for avoiding
any bloodshed.

I'm not sure
we would have done
the same in your place.

I want you
to look at something.

- More schematics.
- Bear with me.

Each force lance
is keyed to its owner.

Andromeda, what happens
if someone tries
to use a force lance

that doesn't belong to them?

The capacitor is discharged,
and the unauthorized user
is shocked unconscious.

But this is Tyr's force lance.

The serial numbers confirm it.
It wouldn't have shocked him.

Normally, you'd be right.

Normally.

But today I took out your...

concerned citizens...

with a force lance
operating by remote control.

Remote control?

Someone with the right codes
can control a force lance,

either by voice, pulsed laser,
or microwave transmission.

So, what I'm
suggesting is this.

Tyr was in the room
with President Lee,

making his apologies.

Suddenly, his force lance
discharged two effectors.

Now, Lee saw the effectors
leave Tyr's sidearm,
and he shouted.

What are you doing?

But he was too late.
Lee was killed.

Tyr grabbed his weapon
and tried to control it,
but it shocked him.

Why?

Because Tyr's command
of his sidearm
had been taken from him.

Control was somehow
assigned to someone else.

Andromeda, do you have
any record of
intercepted transmissions

at the time
of President Lee's death?

There was a low-frequency
microwave transmission
detectable outside Obs Deck.

Origination?

The transmission originated
from a communications port
in the observation deck itself.

I control that port.

Captain, the evidence is clear.

I killed President Lee.

My records clearly indicate
that I gave the order
to kill President Lee.

But do you
remember doing it?

Memory is just a function
of information retrieval.

The information is there.
I did it.

But you don't remember
intending to do it,
or planning to do it.

No. No, I don't.

Okay,
here's my plan.

We download your personality
into my neural net
until we get this sorted out.

We what?

Have you read
the Castalian legal code?

Do you know what they do
to an AI who commits murder?
They disassemble it!

In the Commonwealth,
we did the same thing.

Complete personality
reinitialization.

Yeah, but they can't erase you
if they can't find you.

Come on, Rommie,
interface with me.

It's the closest
I'm ever gonna get.

I'll just store your data
in my cranium

until we can solve
this stupid mystery.

Harper, that would work
for about a millisecond.

Then your brain would fry
like an egg on a plasma relay.

You saying
you're too smart for me?

I'm saying it's very sweet
of you to offer,

but I'm not going
to hide from the Castalians.

What are you doing loose.

General consensus is that
I am innocent.

You're many things,
but innocent
is not one of them.

I imagine that
makes two of us.

What's that
supposed to mean?

It means congratulations
on committing the perfect crime.

I won't even dignify that
with a reply.

You killed Lee,

and then you arranged
for me to take the blame,

knowing full well
that no Castalian

would ever believe
an innocent Nietzschean.

That's insane.
Why would I do that?

Because Lee ordered
the death of your family.

Sebastian Lee
never made that order.

And if I believed
for one minute that he did,
I would have killed him.

May we have that
in writing?

Pesky little critters.

What's up, Harper?

Dylan, I have
a confession to make.

It was me.

Lee, the murder...

I did it.

I programmed Rommie
to kill Lee.

Not now, Harper.
I don't have
the time for this.

Well, fine.
I'll confess to the Castalians.
They'll believe me.

Okay, why did you do it?

Why?

Why? Because.

Because I didn't like
their stupid fish music.
That's why.

Harper, I appreciate
your loyalty.

But what I really need you
to do is solve this crime.

Andromeda's checked
every program
in her inventory

and she can't find
a trace of the hacker.

So, if you could just
move the confessional

back to the machine shop,
that would be great.

Fine. But I reserve
the right to confess later.

Hey! Harper confessed
to the murder, huh?

He tried.

Yeah, well, his heart's
in the right place.

Dylan...

Maybe we should
cut our losses.

There are a million
other worlds out there.

Plenty of fish in the sea?

You said it, not me.

My problem isn't leaving.

My problem is the statement
we'd be making that
this ship and her crew

are somehow
above the law,
that we're...

Better than the people
we're trying to help.

Aren't we?

Hey! I read
the first officer's
job description.

Playing devil's advocate's
on page three.

Get thee behind me, Satan.

Andromeda, I was just...

Looking for me. I know.

Captain, I'm ready
to surrender myself
to the Castalian authorities.

I won't let you
sacrifice yourself.

Dylan, I'm a warship.

I was created
with the knowledge
that I might be sacrificed

for the good
of the Commonwealth.

I've always been
prepared for that.

Haven't you?

It was always a possibility.

But in battle,

going down fighting together.
Not like this.

What is it Rev Bem
always says?

The universe doesn't always
give you what you want.

It gives you
what you need.

Dylan, you're
not gonna believe this.

Oh, no. You're not
gonna confess again, are you?

I'll resent that tomorrow,
but for now, excuse me,

Check this out.

This is President Lee
when he first entered command.

Now, here's Chandos
taking the oath.

Now, Lee
at the supper party.

Now, observe.

Captain, you wanted
to speak to me?

You see?

Not exactly see,
but my hearing is just fine.

This is Captain Dylan Hunt
of the High Guard.

Investigation has shown that
an Artificial Intelligence

was involved
in the tragic death
of your President.

In such a case,
Commonwealth law demands

that the AI's personality
be completely erased.

I invite you,

the people of the
Castalian Republic,

to observe the law in action.

Bring in the prisoner.

President Chandos
will bear witness,

as I give the codes
which will destroy
the Andromeda intelligence.

Andromeda Ascendant,
are you ready?

Yes, Captain, I am ready.

Oh, we almost forgot.

Mr. President,
your entrance music.

What? No... I...

We want to observe
proper protocol.

No!

No, no, please, no, stop,

please, no, please.

Please, please, stop.

Is there a problem?

This is a mistake.

I don't understand.

Of course you do.

You're the one
who loaded the computer virus
into the Presidential music.

Which is why you never
played any for yourself.

After Tyr's behavior provided
you with the perfect cover,

you directed Andromeda
to kill President Lee.

At least, kill the man
in the Presidential breastplate.

Recognition software is dicey,

and you Castalians,
you all look so much alike.

Excluding, of course,
Colonel Yao.

Much safer to tell Rommie
to target the guy
with the dish on his chest,

than to tell her
to shoot at a guy

with tubes sticking out
of his fishneck.

It was a good plan,
you must admit.

You needed better music.

Ulysses Chandos,

I'm placing you under arrest
for the murder of President Lee.

I don't understand.

You were already
gonna succeed him.

You just had to wait
a few more days.

For his resignation.

That was the problem.

Please, please
stop the camera.

I want to talk to Colonel Yao
and Captain Hunt in private.

Clear the deck.

You have to understand.

What I did,

I did for Castalia.

You're lying.

You both know that
Lee was going to resign
after the charter ratification,

but have you seen
his resignation speech?

Well, I have.

He couldn't leave
well-enough alone.

His damn ego.

He didn't want
to just be a hero.

He wanted to be a saint.

But we both know there are
no saints on the battlements,
are there, Captain?

No. Not really.

The Volsung orbital
did not explode by accident.

Lee ordered its destruction.

I know, I was there.
We both agreed.

You let the supermen go,
and they'll come back
stronger than before.

There are no
non-combatant Nietzscheans.

A three-year-old
will disembowel a man.

What about the laborers?
The slaves?

Collateral damage.

A small price to pay
for freedom.

Or so we thought.
I don't believe you.

Oh, the record's
clear, colonel.

Your hero,
he had feet of clay...
bloody clay, at that.

But even worse,
he had a conscience.

If he had confessed,

the air-breathers
would have demanded
blood vengeance.

The water-breathers,
they would've resisted,

and we would've been
faced with a civil war.

I tried to
talk him out of it.

I told him he was putting
too much trust in his people,

but he, of course,
he would not listen.

He left me no choice.

I had to save
the republic.

By killing the man
who created it.

You must let me go.

We can find someone else
to blame for Lee's murder,

or leave it unsolved.

But we can't let
the truth come out.

It will destroy us all.
Castalia and your Commonwealth.

If you think I'll cooperate
in a coverup...

You're mistaken.

Colonel, your prisoner.

That's a lifepod
to your right.

You're letting me go.

No, you're trying to escape.
What?

What are you doing?

I wish you wouldn't.

It'll only make things worse.

It will make everything right.

I'll kill him, then confess
to being guilty
to killing them both.

They'll believe me.

They never turn down
a confession.
Especially from a breather.

They'll execute you.

It's the only way
to preserve the republic.

I'm not going
to let either of you
cover up a genocide.

If the Commonwealth
stands for anything,

it stands for open process
of the law.

And if the institutions
of Sebastian Lee
can survive his death,

they certainly can survive
the truth about his life.

And you...

You've been
fighting me all along,
demanding justice.

Well, now you can have it.

But only if you let
the truth come out.

The truth?

The truth is that
the man that I loved

like a father
betrayed my people.

I would have died for him!

He was a great man.

A great man who made
a terrible mistake.

And the people of Castalia
should know that.

Nothing is more important
than the truth.

Nothing.

Parliament ratified the charter
with three votes to spare.

Another step toward
a new Commonwealth.

A rather large one.

I should think
you would be pleased.

I've been following
the news reports.

Riots on some of the islands,
counter-demonstrations.

It'll probably
blow over soon.

Are you familiar
with Aeschuylus?

Ancient Earth, right?
Greek tragedy?

Very good.

I was thinking specifically
of the Orestean Trilogy.

The house of Atreus
was cursed by the gods,

condemned to murder
one another throughout history.

Orestes mother
killed his father.

He was forced
to kill her in revenge.

Forced to kill.

Much as Andromeda
was forced to kill.

Do you remember
how the curse
was finally ended?

Apollo invented
the jury trial.

The jury found
Orestes innocent.

Indeed.

The cycle was broken
when public justice
replaced private vengeance,

just as you are trying to do.

There's only one problem
with your analogy, Rev.

Apollo was a god.

I'm just a man.