Andromeda (2000–2005): Season 1, Episode 2 - An Affirming Flame - full transcript

Last time on
Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda...

The Commonwealth starship
Andromeda Ascendant

is betrayed by its allies,
the Nietzcheans.

It's a trap.

Captain Dylan Hunt
and his crew battle,

but in the face
of destruction,

Hunt orders his crew
to abandon ship,

and attempts
to hide his starship
in a black hole.

He is attacked by his
Nietzchean first officer,

but as they fight,
the Andromeda
is frozen in time.

Three hundred years later,
the salvage ship, Eureka Maru



under Captain Beka Valentine
locates the Andromeda,

and toes it free
from the black hole.

The now revived
Captain Dylan Hunt

accompanied only by the ship's
artificial intelligence,

Andromeda, must battle
once again to save his ship.

I'll take it from here.

Bots down. Deck 15.
Deck 12. Deck 11.

Can it get any better?

Team One, Deck Ten. Now.

A Nietzchean.

Just when things
were starting
to look up.

Secure this corridor.

Right.

I've taken out every android
and robot from here
to Deck Nine.



Good.

Sensors are down,
just like you asked.

And we found a way
to disrupt the signals
of the nanobots.

This Captain Hunt
is completely blinded.

He's all alone here.
And now that he knows
what he's up against,

maybe we can convince
him to surrender.

I'm not interested
in his surrender.

Finish the job.

Kill him.

Still nothing.

They've cut off
my internal sensors.

If I have any androids
left outside command,
I can't contact them.

We've gotta
change tactics,

take the fight
directly to them.

Oh, great.

Clear.

Nothing like a Nietzchean
when you need to clean house.

He got away.

How?
He's a survivor.

He won't be easy to kill.

I hired you creatures...

to do a job for me.

I want complete control

of this ship,

and I want that
High Guard fossil dead.

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.

You're working too slowly.

The longer we stay
in one place,

the more likely we are
to face a counter-attack.

Look, I appreciate paranoia,

but if I don't
get this right,

we lose the entire ship.

What my young friend
is saying

is give us some space.

Did I ask your opinion?

The universe does not always
provide what you ask for.

The universe provides
what you need.

Hey, if you guys
are gonna kill each other,
go ahead and be my guest,

but don't get any blood
on my gear, okay?

Don't test me, Magog.

Who does he think he is?

I assume he thinks
he's a Nietzchean.

Very helpful.
Thank you, Rev.

Come on, spill.
What have you
dug up so far?

What makes you think

I've been trying
to dig things up?

I know you, Rev.

Where there's a will,
there's a Wayist.

And you can't convert
the heathens without
knowing their names.

Wayists don't try
to convert people.

We simply show them
that they're already Wayists.

However, there's nothing
wrong with satisfying

a little intellectual curiosity.

He's Tyr Anasazi
of Kodiak Pride.

According to his companions,
he's a high-priced mercenary.

One of the best.

But...

From what I gather,

his Kodiak pride was
destroyed in a clan war.

My guess is he's trying
to prove his genetic worth,

so he can join a new family.

Great. Not just
a Nietzchean,

but a Nietzchean
with a chip
on his shoulder.

Another of
the universe's
little jokes.

At our expense.

So what's it like
being a mercenary?

It sounds like it'd be
a really tough job.

I guess it'd allow you
to travel a lot,
which is kinda nice,

but it's not as if
the locals will be happy
to see you when you arrive,

and I suppose
that killing people

is a very stressful way
to make a living.

Would you shut up?

I'm sorry,
am I distracting you?

I don't mean to,
it's just sometimes

I find that a little
casual conversation--

Not another word.

Miss Killer Lady?

Ma'am?
That does it, you little--

How you doin'?

Drop it.

Great. Cyborg.

Wait!

I hate cyborgs.

She's very quick.

Sleep tight.

Come on!

Fine. Be tough.

What are you doin'?

I need more ammo.
Nobody goes
in the weapons locker

without Tyr's or
Gerentex's permission.

I'll ask for permission
just as soon as
I get my ammo.

How you doin'?

I'd duck.

Down!

You are lucky to be alive.

I don't think he wanted
to hurt us.

He went out of his way
to control the explosion.

He warned me
that it was coming.

If he wanted me dead,
I don't think I'd
be here right now.

Why do I get the feeling
we're on the wrong side?

Hey, we're not
on a side, okay?

We're working for Beka,
same as always.

Fine. Then I say we quit.

Get out of our contract
and leave.

Is that what
you really want?

Nightsider hearing.

It makes up
for the eyes.

I asked you a question.

Leave her alone.

No, that's okay.

I meant what I said.

We should not be here.
This is his ship,

and we should
let him have it.

Now, I'm not going to speak
for anyone else here,

But I'm done. I quit.

Well, if that's
how you feel.

You mean, I can just leave?

Oh, I insist.

In fact,

I'll, uh...

Give you a hand!

No!

Leston, side arms.

Don't move.

Eternal life grant unto her,

and may perpetual light
shine upon her.

Any more burning issues
that need to be discussed?

Good.

Mr. Harper,

unless I'm mistaken,
your work here is done.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm done.

Then by all means,
let's be going.

I find the smell of death
quite distasteful.

Move it.
Come on. Let's go.

Come on. Hurry up

Magog.

Go.

No respiration,
no pulse, no brain activity.
There's nothing I can do.

So young.

I'll bring
the corpse to medical,
just to be sure.

I didn't want it
to come to this.

You didn't kill her,
Dylan. They did.

Still one death too many.
I'm ending this now.

Damn it. I never should've
let her on this deathtrap.

I should've left her
on the Maru.

She's the E. S. officer,
Beka. We needed her here.

Don't blame yourself.

Who am I supposed to blame?
I hired her, I trained her.

She trusted me,
and now she's dead.

She knew the risks, Boss.
You explained them
to her dozens of times.

I don't even know
who to talk to about this.

Did she have family?
Parents? Do you know?

She was a very private person.

Private? She was
positively clandestine.

Yeah, whenever I'd ask her
about her name, what it really
was in her native language,

she'd tell me
I couldn't
pronounce it,

and the more I try
to pry any more,
she'd cover it up.

In all of my travels,

I have never seen or heard
of a species quite like hers.

And now, I fear
I never will again.

Okay, I say we kill him.

Gerentex?

Who do you think?

I can rig up an explosive easy
using your shock wand.

Violence begets violence.

Yeah, well, I say it's time
we started begetting.
Whoa, whoa. You hold it.

Even if we could
take out Gerentex,

and I have my doubts
about that,

what do we do
about his posse?

Well, I was thinking
a really big bomb.

Harper,

I advise you.

Consider carefully this path
that you would choose.

The place
to which it leads...

is very dark.

If you murder Tyr
and the other mercenaries,

you'll be no better
than Gerentex.

Of course I will.
He'll be dead.

More likely,
you'll be dead.

No. If we're gonna
get back at Gerentex,

we're gonna do it smart.

Place the shake charges
along that bulkhead.

The ship's main computer core
is located right on
the other side.

What's this?
It's not on specs.

It's a basketball hoop.

If you ask nice,
I'll show you how to play.

Kill him.

I don't think so.
This is my court.

You play be my rules!

You can't beat me.

I don't have to.

Like I said,
my court, my rules.

Brexos?

Brexos!

That's two down.

I assume he's been
taken prisoner.

All Hunt wanted
was to prevent us
from setting those charges.

Capturing Brexos
was a... bonus.

This is getting so tedious.

He is only one man!

He's one man fighting
a guerrilla war.

He knows the terrain,

he's got superior weapons,

and excellent
tactical ability.

You sound like
you admire him, Anasazi.

As I said,
he's a survivor.

Well, then,
I guess it's Harper
to the rescue.

Lucky for you
I'm a freakin' genius.

Oh, your system
is finally in place at last?

In a couple of seconds,
I'll have the Andromeda's
central computer

eating out of my hands.

Jane's Encyclopedia for
Basic Armed Combat Maneuvers.

Anyone?
Oh, shut up.

Your loss, rat-face. Beka.

What's the good word, Boss?

Channel's open.

Now comes the fun part.

Lower your head.

I'm in.

Go, Harper, go.

Do you believe
this is wise?

Hey, Gerentex wanted Harper
to take over the ship.

The only difference is,
who is he taking
the ship over for?

Now I want you to get
into the control array.

Once Harper has this thing
house-broken, I want to teach
it a few new tricks.

Man, this place is a lot
bigger than I expected.

All right,
you stay alert.

I'll keep an eye
on things here.

Are they gonna
try somethin'?

You count on it.

Can you rewrite
the command nexus?

Of course I can.
If I can find it.

Maybe I can help.

Oh, crap.

Welcome to my mind.

Now, go home.

What happened?

The ship. She's alive.

What?

And she is ticked off.

I copy. Leston, it's Tyr.

Go ahead.

Meet me on Deck 12.
We've got to blow
the computer core.

We don't have any explosives.

Then we'll shoot our way
through, but either way,
that computer is coming down.

You're the expert.
I'll be there in--

Leston?

What's your hurry?

Leston?

Take the scenic route.

Hey!
What are you doing?

Adios.

Anasazi! Valentine!
What is going on over there?

Gerentex, looks like you've
got a little problem, here.

What?

That A. I. the Andromeda.
What about her?

I think she's trying
to come in.

Well, disconnect the system!

Uh, she's not
just using the computer.

She's also coming in
through the comm-line,
the airlock controls.

Prep for launch! Now!

But, Beka and Rev...

Will just have to take care
of themselves, won't they?

Unless you want to end up...

like your little purple friend.

The airlock!

Rev!

Damn it!

Gerentex is abandoning us.

Andromeda, what was that?

They've left the hangar.
I think we've won.

We're clear.

What about
the Andromeda?

She's dead in the water.

Good. Move.

What-- What are you--
What's, what the--

Now, let's see.

I believe this
is the forward thruster, right?

You're on
a collision course.

Yes. A gentle tap.

What was that?

I have a bad feeling
about this.

And we'll
let gravity do the rest.

Gravity?

The black hole.

You know, this may
sound petty to you,

but if I can't have
the Andromeda,

no one can.

This is not good.

The black hole.
We're headed straight in.

Do you know
what's happening?

Behold the beast.

What do we do?

You're the survival expert.
Why don't you tell me?

Engines are
totally off-line.

We're falling back
into the singularity.
I can't compensate.

How long until we hit
the event horizon?

Less than an hour.

This has been one long day.

So this is your brilliant idea?

Put ourselves
into cold storage?

If the stasis field protects us,
we may survive long enough
to be rescued.

We may even emerge
on the other side.

The idea that black holes

have exits into
other universes
is completely unproven.

It's a chance.
Look, even if your plan

works and we don't get
torn apart by the tides

or fried by radiation,
we could be frozen in time
like Hunt was.

By the time we get out,
hundreds of years
may have passed.

I don't care if we
wake up when the suns
have all burned out

and the universe
is winding down to die.

So long as I'm there
to watch.

On the bright side,

looks like you'll have company.

So, that's the situation.
It's your choice.

You can go back
into stasis with Tyr,

or you can help me
save the ship.

I'll take "None of the above".

Anything?

Some of my peripheral systems
are back on-line, but still
no power to the engines.

Well,
that's a start, anyway.

I'd wish you luck,
but I doubt it will help.

Wait. I'm coming
with you.
Listen to me.

Let them go.
Perhaps they'll make it.

We'll make it.
Let's go. Let's go!

Dylan! Someone just launched
an escape pod.

Patch them
through to me here.

They're headed straight
for the singularity.

They'll never make it.
We've gotta help them.

Even if I were
fully functional, it would
already be too late.

They're gone.

There was nothing
you could've done.

You keep saying that.

You said it about the fall
of the Commonwealth,

you said it about
that girl dying,
and now this.

But I don't buy it.
Dylan.

Scan the ship.
Lock onto the intruders.

I want to know
how many of
them are left.

Only three, all in medical.
Do you want me to contact them?

No, I'll do it myself.

Understood. They're... hold on.

What is it?

I have a surprise for you.

All I'm asking
is for 15 minutes.

Help us figure
a way out of this.

Look, if it doesn't work,
you have plenty of time
to get to stasis.

Every second I'm out here
is an unnecessary risk.

The stasis chambers
won't help.

We're headed straight
into the singularity.

The AG Field won't last
past a few thousand kilometers,

and once it's gone,

the stasis generators
will be ripped to shreds
and so will you.

If you want to survive,
you only have one option.

You work with me.

You do exactly what I say.

And if we're very,
very lucky,

we might just get out
of this in one piece.

I'd listen to him
if I were you.

Trance!

You're alive.

But how?

Thanks to Dylan
and his ship.

They saved me
when everyone else
had given me up for dead.

Now if you listen to them,
maybe they can do
the same for you.

So, what's your plan?

Nova bombs?

You're carrying Nova bombs?

The Andromeda's
a High Guard ship
of the line,

with a wide range
of combat capabilities.

You'll have
to excuse us.
It's just that we've

never met anyone
who could blow up
a sun before.

The Systems Commonwealth never
used Nova bombs in combat.

As far as you know.

You didn't know
what you were salvaging?

No. Although I'm beginning
to suspect that Gerentex did.

Obviously, we
underestimated him.

Forty Nova bombs!

Have you any idea
what could be achieved
with that sort of fire power?

Nothing but destruction.

That's all Nova bombs
are good for.

How much longer?

Two minutes.
Three at the most.

Done.
Armory ready.

Wait for my mark.

Three light seconds away.

Weapons station ready.

Ready.

What is that?

It's the tide.
It's starting
to pull the ship apart.

If you stare too long
into the abyss, the abyss
stares back at you.

Any minute now.

It's now or never.

Initiating
Nova deployment sequence.

Let's bring it.

Acting First Officer,
Beka Valentine.

Nova deployment authorized.
Zero zero strike red zero.

Acting Arms Master,
Trance Gemini.

Nova deployment authorized,
uh, retro nine blue strike
five nine five.

Fire Control Officer,
Tyr Anasazi.

Arming Nova weapons
one through forty.

Execution code nine five
over seven blue five.

Arm.

Ready for your final order.

Captain Dylan Hunt,
Commanding Officer.

Nova deployment authorization
ten break alpha.
Strike, strike, strike.

They're ready.

Missile tubes
one through ten.

Fire.

Second salvo. Fire.

Third salvo. Fire.

Fourth salvo. Fire!

All missiles away.

What's that?
They've launched
some kind of missiles

into the black hole.

Nonsense. Nothing can
affect a singularity!

Almost nothing.

How many? How many?

I dunno. Looks like forty?

Forty? God, they're insane!

Get us out of here!

What's the big deal? What?
What's the big deal?

Just do it!

Detonation in three...

two, one. Detonation!

Fiat lux.

A white hole.
They've created
a white hole!

I don't know what that is,
but it doesn't sound good.

It's the reverse
of a black hole.

It's a miniature Big Bang!

Oh, God, we've got
to get to slipstream
before it hits us!

Thanks, that part
I figured out
all by myself, rat-brain.

Destroying the AG Field.

Hold on, everyone.

This is gonna hurt.

Hunt! Power up
the engines.

We've gotta get out of here
before it collapses
back in on itself.

I know. I know.

The force of the explosion
is over ten million tera-tons.

Radiation dampers are out.

Radiation will reach
lethal levels

in less than three minutes.

I can't believe it.
They're still
in one piece.

Forget them!
Just get us
out of here!

Yes, sir,
Mr. Fearless Leader, sir.

Transiting to slipstream
in three seconds.

Three!

The white hole's
becoming unstable.

Normal gravitational fields
are returning.

Come on.
Here comes
the riptide.

Just a few more seconds.

My engines are
at 15 percent
over maximum.

We're almost far enough
out to enter slipstream.

They're going to overload.

Slipstream... now!

Transiting to normal space.

We're clear.
We made it.

Well, I'll be damned.

It's over.

I owe you one.

Thanks. I couldn't have
done it without you.

Careful.

He might bite it off.

You're too kind.

I think you just
made the menu.

Rat-faced weasel
took my ship!

We matched the Maru's course,
but it isn't in the system.

And look at this.

Pion particles.

A big spill
right on the edge
of a slipstream nexus.

Young Master Harper's work.

A trail of breadcrumbs
for us to follow,

if you're willing.

Wait a minute. Uh...

let me get this straight.

You forced your way
onto my ship,

then you tried
to steal my ship.

And now, after I
saved all your lives,
you want me

to help you
retrieve your ship.

She's like that.
Don't take it personally.

Believe me,
you're the last person
I want to ask for help.

I have no choice.

I'll do it.
On one condition.
Name it.

Not now. When we're done.

You want me to do
something for you,

but you won't
tell me what it is.

Do you want
your ship back or not?

I guess we have a deal.

All right, then.
Let's go hunting.

Plus one-thousand thrones
for slipstream piloting time

and twenty percent
hazardous duty bonus,

comes to a grand total
of 84,000 thrones.

Huh. Are you
quite done?

Well, yeah. Base pay
times 30 days,

plus expenses
and overtime.

That pretty much covers it.

Then let me
give you my totals.

One million thrones
for the location
of the ship.

Fifteen million thrones
for the purchase
of special salvage equipment.

Five hundred thousand thrones
for fuel.

And, surprise,

an additional million thrones

for research, bribes,
and gifts to find
an appropriate buyer.

Oh, yes. Seven hundred
thousand thrones for Tyr,

and his oh-so-helpful
assault team.

What does that come to?

Plus my 84 grand?
A lot.

Eighteen million,
two hundred thousand thrones

for nothing.

Plus my 84 grand!

If you show me
that bill one more time,

I will make you copy it
onto these walls

in your own mushy blood!

What is that?

I dunno. Something's
jamming our sensors.
Guards!

Mind if we come in?

Gerentex. There you are.

We brought you
Captain Hunt,
just like you asked.

Sorry it took so long,
but someone tried
to feed us to a black hole.

Whatever he's paying you,
I'll double it.

And kill us
before we can get
to the bank?

No, thank you.

It is written...

"For every action,
there is an equal
and opposite reaction."

Don't just stand there!
Get them!

You don't have
to do this, you know.

Oh, I think they do.

Barietic poison.

He'll be all right
in a couple of hours.

It's, uh, Gerentex, right?

Yeah. Well, frankly,
Mr. Gerentex, I don't have
much of a problem with you.

Revenge isn't my style.

But I want you
off this ship.

And I never want
to see you again. Ever.

Am I making myself clear?

Perfectly.

Thank you
for your consideration.

Huh?

Lookin' for this?

Thanks.

What an unpleasant individual.

I can cure that.

No. Leave him.

Are you insane?

Why would you leave
a live enemy behind?

This is my operation.
We do things my way.

I don't suppose there's
anyone we can turn him
over to for prosecution?

Not likely.

Well, then, we'll put him
in a life pod and let him
find his own way home.

Cripple the engines
so it'll take him
a few months.

That'll give him time
to think about his mistakes.

The only thing he's
gonna think about

is how he'll screw
the next people
he works with.

Maybe. But I won't kill a man
in cold blood.

Captain Valentine,

your ship.

Thank you.

Trance, get your butt
down here. We're leavin'.

Trance?

I thought you
might say that.

Trance! You're alive!
You're alive.

Yes, well, people
keep telling me so.

Uh, before you leave,
there is one last thing.

My favor?

All I want is ten minutes
of your time,

of all your time.

Meet me on the observation deck
of the Andromeda in one hour.

Oh, and you, uh, drop by
the medical ward on the way.

There. That should
sterilize the protozoa.

Apply this three times a day
for a week, and you'll recover.

Just out of curiosity,

what would've happened
if you hadn't treated this?

Would it have,
uh, left a scar?
No.

It would've eaten every
inch of your skin away
until it was gone.

And then it would have started
on your muscles, organs,
eyes, and brain.

You'd have lived
about five more weeks,

and then all that
would've been left
are bleached bones.

Three times a day
for a week.
Don't miss any spots.

Right.

Mind if I ask you
a question?
No.

When Trance got shot,

how did you fix her?

I don't know.

She didn't show
any vital signs,

so I brought her down here
and monitored her,

and then...

she got better.

That's our Trance.
She's done this kind
of thing before?

The whole coming back
from the dead thing?
No, that's a new one.

But, uh,

let's just say
it's not
out of character.

You should get up
to the Obs Deck.
I'll see you there.

Ten minutes.

I'll make this quick.

This isn't my time anymore.

I've checked
your historical records,

and since my time,

life has gotten a lot harder.

The Civilization
is in tatters,
the strong...

prey on the weak,
there is no justice,

there's no unity,
there's no law.

I intend to change all that.

The Commonwealth
wasn't just an institution,

it was a dream,
but dreams don't die

and as long as I'm alive
and in command
of the Andromeda,

neither will
the Commonwealth.

You want to restore
the Commonwealth?

I think it's my duty to try.

But I need help.

I need a crew.

Us?
Why not?

You're smart, you're capable,
and you deserve better lives
than what you've got.

Now, what's wrong
with our lives?

Living from moment to moment
with nothing to fight for
but survival?

Scrambling for
the Big Score,

the fast buck?
You tell me.

If we agree to come along,
how is that any better?

It's a chance
to do something important,

something meaningful.

And it's more than that.

It's an adventure.

Maybe the greatest adventure
anyone has ever seen,

and if we succeed,
you'll go down in history.
You'll be heroes.

And if we fail,
we'll be dead.

In the end,
we all die

when our time comes.

Do you want
to do this?

When the Divine opens a way,

who are we to question?

We're with you, Bek.

Whatever you say goes, but...

I think it might be kinda fun.

No offense, Beka, but have
you seen the crew quarters
on this thing?

Showers in every room,
and fresh coffee.

What do you say?

If worse comes to worst,
you can always leave.

You know, a lot of people
will not be enchanted
by this plan of yours.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

What the hell.

Beats doing salvage runs.

Looks like you got
yourself a crew.

What about you?

What about me?

If we are gonna restore
the Commonwealth, we have
to restore it for everyone,

including the Nietzscheans.

Well, that's a lovely sentiment,
sir, but what's in it for me?

Didn't Nietzsche once say...

"A secret of reaping
the greatest
enjoyment from life

is to live dangerously."?

You read the right books.

I'm a man of many talents.
And high ideals.

Which, frankly,
is a problem.

Still,

I've worked
for a great many fools
in the past few years.

Perhaps it's time
for something new.

In that case,

welcome aboard.

All of you.

We're not saluting you,

and we're not
calling you Captain.

Dylan. Dylan will be fine.