Pandora (2019–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - On a Night Like This - full transcript

He is the warrior's warrior,

an unstoppable killing machine.

A hero of
the Earth-Zatarian War,

your undefeated champion.

Hoo-yah!

We don't know much about
this mystery fighter,

but one thing's for sure, he won't
last long against our champion,

so please welcome,
and say sayonara to

the Fighting Zatarian!

Zatarians.

I hate Zatarians.



You have everything you need.

You have everything you need.

What do you need, roomie?

I don't know.

So... I saw Xander
in the bar earlier...

alone.

Are you gonna tell me what's
going on between the two of you?

Because, one day, you can't
keep your mitts off each other,

and the next, you're
locked up here in sol...

I really don't want to talk
about Xander right now.

Okay.

Thank you.

Can we talk?

Do I have a choice?



It's about Ralen.

What about Ralen?

And you're sure that you have
absolutely no idea where Ralen's gone?

No sign of him anywhere.
Not even on the datastream.

It's like he completely wiped
himself from existence.

He just doesn't want anyone
finding him, that's all.

Ralen doesn't know
what he wants.

He's in a lot of pain right now.

What are you looking for?

I need to access his recent
monetary transactions.

That might give us some
idea of where he's been.

How long do you think it'll take
you to break that encryption?

Alright, done.

The last transaction
he made was 777 credits

being deducted by Tian-V
Spaceways three days go.

777 credits?
Lucky us.

That exact fare buys passage
to only one place in the galaxy.

Las Venus.

Wait. Ralen doesn't seem
like the gambling type.

No, but if you want to leave behind
everything you've ever known and start again,

it's a damn good place to start.

Hey, where are you going?

I'm going to find Ralen,

and I expect you to keep this
between us, Cadet Annamali.

Yeah, I will...

if I can come with you.

No, I don't think
that's gonna happen.

Look, he's my friend, too.

And he needs our help.

Come in.

An "F"?

Do you have any idea
how long I studied for this?

- There's no way that I...
- Please shut the door and take a seat.

No, this has to be a mistake,
'cause this is my favorite class and...

The door.

I really feel like I deserved...

an "A".
I don't understand.

It's the only way that I could get you to
come here without arousing suspicion.

Now, please, take a seat.

Okay.

What's this about?

How much do you remember
about the Sumi Empire?

Mmm... just what I learned
in Pevney's class.

Big, warlike,

very "grrrr."

I'm not sure "grrrr"

was the actual adjective Ellison
used to describe them,

but I suppose
"big, warlike and 'grrrr'"

- does seem to do them justice.
- Okay, now you're just making fun of me.

Hardly. Your uncle has
a mission for you.

- My uncle?
- Mm-hmm.

He really left, huh?

Yes, but he's safe.

Out of prison and in the game.

But what does he want
from me now?

We have a guest coming to speak
on campus this week.

Princess Aleka.

She will be stopping by on Earth
on her way back to Sumi,

where she will become
the first wife of Prince Oren.

First wife? How many
does this guy have?

While she's here,

she will be closely watched
by the Sumi Secret Police.

I can't get close to her
without arousing suspicion,

but you can, in order to obtain

some vital information
for your uncle.

Okay, so, what, so I just
bring her a wedding gift?

What do you think?

Oh, my God,
you can't be serious.

- Have you ever known me to be otherwise?
- No.

If there is to be lasting peace,

and we are to survive
this reprieve

the Ancients have granted us,

the Sumi will need
to be part of it.

In the past, Aleka has been

an excellent intelligence
asset for your uncle.

Now she claims she has
important information for us

about recent developments
in the Empire.

- Any idea what those may be?
- No.

That's what we need you to find.

So, are you in or out, cadet?

Stay close.

Las Venus is not the kind of place you
want to be left wandering alone at night.

Once you get away from the resorts,
this place can be pretty dangerous.

Yeah, I noticed. Those two scary
dudes have been following us ever since

we started nosing around
asking about a Zatarian.

Yes, thanks for that, Jett.
I'm well aware.

What do they want?

If I were to guess,
I'd say they want to kill us,

harvest our organs,
sell them on the black market.

- Sorry I asked.
- You're the one that wanted to be here.

Yeah, you'd better run,
or we'll mess you up!

Oh, they don't
teach that in class.

Yo, Cap, any chance you show me how
to do that sometime? That was awesome!

No.

Drop it.

I got this!

Xander.

Greg?

Heard you were dead.

Heard you were expelled.

Thanks for that, both of you. Greg,
what the hell are you doing here?

First, we thought you died
Seahawk.

And then we find out that you're
alive and well on Hypatia Prime,

and then you disappear from
there only to show up here.

You can't tell Jax anything.

I don't want her to know
that you ever even found me.

Jax has been worried sick about you ever since
you disappeared without telling us anything.

She'd be more worried
if she knew why.

Fine.

This stays between us.

Yeah. What happens on Las Venus,
stays on Las Venus, bro.

- Jett, shut up.
- What? Sorry.

Well... after I pushed
Jax into the escape pod,

Captain Jaworski and I Seahawk

just in time before it blew up,

but we had no food
and we had no rations.

To stay alive,
we had to take Ryodyne.

Naturally, I got hooked.

Uh, Ryodyne?

It's a drug.

EarthCom used it covertly during
the war to heighten the aggression,

and the abilities of the
epinephrine levels of their soldiers.

It also happens
to be highly addictive.

After you freed me
from the Hypatia Syndicate...

I tried everything
to break my addiction,

but nothing worked.

So, if... if you're a... a junkie,

why come to Las Venus?

I mean, it's not exactly a place
for rest, recuperation, and detox.

That's a good question.

There's no restrictions
on off-book research here,

and I have access to all the
experimental drugs that I need.

We, uh, figured we'd make some cash
to pay for what we needed to find a cure.

"We"? Who's "we"?

Lieutenant Commander
Cade Collins.

Who's that?

He was the second in command
Seahawk.

I had the pleasure
of meeting the lieutenant

at a hospital on Earth.

He was also desperately trying to
kick his Ryodyne addiction, but no luck.

So, you've been
gambling here ever since.

Not exactly.

The lieutenant's been
fighting in the arena.

And, as a doctor...
of sorts,

I've been keeping him alive.

You... you can't be serious.

Greg, why didn't you call us?
We could've helped.

I care for Jax too much.

I didn't want to ruin her
perfect life with my problems.

I'm sorry to be the one
to tell you, Greg,

but Jax's life
is far from perfect,

and you're abandoning her
when she needs you the most.

Jax abandoned me!

That's the Ryodyne talking,

not the man who was willing to give up
everything to save the woman that he loved.

And where exactly
did that get me?

- Greg, where the hell do you think you're going?
- Oh, we're done here.

Well, you can't really think
we're just going to let you leave

without at least finding out
whether or not you're okay.

That's exactly what
you're gonna do.

Well, I was taught
to never leave anyone behind.

I am not some cadet
under your command.

This may be hard for you
to accept, but for once

this isn't about you,
soldier boy.

Well, that might be true,

but either way,
you're coming home with us.

Take a look around the bar.

All of these guys are fighters
that I've nursed back to health,

healed their broken bones,
patched back up myself.

I give the word,

and they're carrying you
out of here on a stretcher.

Either way, you're leaving now.

Okay, okay, okay. Maybe... maybe
we can take this down a notch, boys?

I really didn't come here
to get all shot up, Cap.

Like you don't throw paint
on the Mona Lisa, right?

- Jett...
- What? He gets it.

If you didn't know I was here,
why did you come?

For Ralen.

He disappeared from the Academy.
We think he's here on Las Venus.

Why the hell would Ralen
come to Las Venus?

His wife, Matta?
She's dead.

And the grief
is driving him crazy.

Look, you obviously don't
care about what happens to yourself,

but at least show
a little courtesy

and help us find Ralen.

Welcome, Zazie.

Hey, roomie.
Where you off to?

Uh, just to the lounge
for a drink.

Sweet.
With Studly Dolittle?

No, by myself.

Do you want company?

I just need to be
alone right now, Zaz.

So you're going to the lounge?

You don't like me
very much, do you?

Of course, I like you, Zazie.

I keep trying to reach out
and be your friend,

but you're always
pushing me away.

I'm sorry.

There's just a lot going on
in my life right now

that I can't really talk about.

- Xander?
- That's part of it.

I mean, I kind of thought
we broke up,

and then we slept together
again, so...

I feel you, girl.

Break-up sex can
be super confusing.

Yeah, I just don't know
where we stand right now.

I mean, I know he still has
feelings for me, but...

I don't know if I feel
the same, you know?

Sounds like you could really
use a friend to talk to.

Yeah, maybe I could.

You don't actually think you
can cure your Ryodyne addiction

with this witch's brew, do you?

Sumi volcano ash
and Cronin liver bile?

Gross.

- That's what I'm trying to do.
- Let me help.

I can interface with the datastream and see
what I can sleuth out that might be useful.

If Ralen is actually on Las
Venus, where would he be?

Probably training
or in the arena.

I don't understand.

These are underground fights.

They're outside the
jurisdiction of the Confederacy.

They air on the darkstream,
and a lot of money changes hands.

This is serious business.

Well, Ralen's a bad-ass,
I'd bet on him to win.

The fighters here don't win.

They all lose, eventually.

Unfortunately, Xander's right.

Most of the combatants usually
end up badly crippled or worse.

I fix them up if I can.

Well, Ralen's almost
definitely here.

Cap, they started taking bets
on a Zatarian fighter.

Then we need to find him.

Will you help us, Greg?

I don't think we can
do it without you.

Lieutenant's
the current champion.

Hasn't lost a match yet.

He's like a sexy
grizzly bear. Ooh.

Ryodyne in his system's
definitely giving him an edge.

You know, that man
is a beast in the arena.

What are the metal collars that
they wear around their necks?

Remote-controlled
explosive bands.

All the fighters' contracts are owned
by rich investors, mega-corporations.

If you try to leave before
the contract's up...

Boom?

Exactly. Boom.

So, even if you manage to
cure the Ryodyne addiction,

how do you plan on leaving?

I suppose you haven't
thought that far ahead yet.

So, uh...
who controls the collars?

Triskelion, the game master,

and whomever owns
that fighter's contract.

What about Ralen's contract?

Well, if he just got here,
nobody yet.

You'll need to talk
to the lieutenant first.

As the current champion, he's
responsible for all the fighters.

Wait, wouldn't he recognize you?

I think I have
an idea about that.

How'd you get in here?

No, you're not allowed in here.
You gotta go. You gotta go.

It's alright.
Let them pass.

Khan Sandhu the Fourth.

This is my personal
bodyguard, Kojo.

Well, say hello, Kojo.

You look familiar.
Have we met before, Kojo?

If we had, I think
you'd probably remember it.

- You wanna make some memories right now?
- Oh!

Please, excuse my subordinate.

- Sometime he exceeds his...
- Yeah, I can see that.

Now, I was looking to acquire
one of your fighters

- from a Mr. Triskelion.
- If he's any good.

All the good ones are expensive.

Well, my handsome,
rugged friend,

I did not work so hard
inheriting my daddy's fortune

not to spend it.

This one seems fit enough.

Yes, he shall do nicely.

Hmm. If you wanna
spend all your money on a Zat,

that's your business.

Once Triskelion sees him
fight in the arena tomorrow,

he's gonna set a price.

Until then, you enjoy yourself
in Las Venus, Mr. Sandhu.

Well, what if he dies
in the arena?

He's no good to us dead.

Well, in that case, your boss
has saved himself a lot of money.

You two, with me.
Back to practice.

- We need to get you out of here.
- You should not have come.

We came to help you, Ralen.

You proceed from a false
assumption, Captain Duvall.

I am exactly where I need to be.

Look, we know
that you're in pain...

You know nothing of my pain!

Is that so?

You think you're the only one
who's ever lost someone?

Matta made a sacrifice for
all of us. It was her choice.

Say another word about her, and
I will kill you where you stand.

In case you had not noticed,
life is cheap here.

Guys, come on. Can't we talk
about this like reasonable men?

Aliens, sorry.
Whatever.

I appreciate
you both being here.

I know you come with
honorable intentions,

but I assure you,

I'm not going anywhere.

You wanna crash a party?

- Heck yeah.
- Great.

Uh-uh.

Back.

Hello.

Impressive...

- for a human.
- Ah.

I see you've already met.

You could say that.

Allow me to make
a formal introductions.

Princess Aleka of Clan Sumix,

please meet one of my finest
students, Cadet Jax Zhou.

Hi, I'm Zazie, Jax's friend,

and one of Shral's
less finer students.

It was a pleasure to meet you.

Maybe I'll see you
around campus?

Rest assured.

We will indeed see each other
again soon, Jax Zhou.

He is the warrior's warrior,

an unstoppable killing machine.

A hero of
the Earth-Zatarian War,

your undefeated champion.

We don't know much
about this mystery fighter,

but one thing's for sure,

he won't last long
against our champion,

the Fighting Zatarian!

Zatarians.

I hate Zatarians.

Is that what you want?!

You wanna see him killed?
Huh?!

Do you want me to kill him?

You don't wanna
do this, Lieutenant!

It's been a long time
since I've killed a Zatarian.

Come on!

Back, back! Stop it!

Enough!

This match is terminated.

This behavior is unacceptable.

I will tell you
what is unacceptable!

You letting my fighter
die in the ring

before I even have
a chance to buy his contract!

He's not your fighter.

I sold him to someone else.

To who?

Greetings, son.

This Zatarian.

Father?

He fetched
quite the price, Kojo.

Or do you prefer Xander
Duvall of EarthCom?

Look, let him go.

Tomorrow there will be
a re-match,

and there will be
no interruptions!

What are your
intentions, Salazen?

My intentions, Mr. Duvall?

I intend to watch
my traitorous son

die in the arena tomorrow.

You should watch too.

I imagine it will
be quite entertaining.

Jax Zhou.

I told you we'd see
each other again.

What do you want, Aleka?

That's not really what
you want to ask me, is it?

Have you come
to try and kill me?

Honesty.
Wonderful.

No, I'm not here
to try and kill you.

You showed me your back earlier.

If you were a second wife,
you'd be dead by now.

I'm no one's wife.

And if I was, I'd be the only.

You would never live that long.

What do you want?

You intrigue me, Little One.

You're not at all
what I expected.

And what exactly did you expect?

Someone older.

You seem a little young to be one of
Donovan Osborn's most trusted assets.

Well, you seem a little young
to be one of his informants.

I am no informant.

I do this for the good
of the Sumi Empire.

I believe the future can be
better for all races,

but the only way that that's gonna happen
is if we learn to live together in peace.

I suppose you find
that rather naive.

Quite the contrary, actually.

I believe the same thing.

Do you have this intel
for me or what?

All business.

Can I not have a moment to enjoy
the night before my wedding

with a beautiful girl who
doesn't want to kill me first?

The night is young.

You got a few broken ribs.

They'll need some time to heal before
you have a chance to break them again.

Thank you for your help, doctor,
but I will be just fine.

So, about that family reunion?

Your father, he seems charming.

Why exactly has he not taken you
back to your home planet yet?

My father believes I betrayed
the Zatarian people

when I assisted EarthCom
against the Protector attack.

Whatever he's up to,
it is not to help me.

Now, I must go. I have
a fight to train for.

Uh, Collins will
kill you, you know.

If that is my destiny,
then I accept it.

Ralen, we weren't at the
Academy together very long,

but, whether you want
to admit it or not,

we were friends.

I suppose you could
call it that.

So, tell me, as your friend,

why are you here?

Why are you here?

I suppose that's fair.

The truth is, is that
I'm running away.

You know, doctors
take this oath:

"Do no harm,"

but we never really think
that it applies to ourselves.

We spend our entire lives

looking at other people's wounds

just so we don't
have to look at our own.

What you're doing,

it's not running away.

It's suicide.

So you think I'm trying
to kill myself, doctor?

Whether that's what you're
trying to do or not,

it's what's gonna happen.

Unless you do
something about it.

Now, look, uh...

from what I could tell,

Matta was very special to you.

Do you really think this is how
she'd want you to check out?

It's beautiful.

Is this your house on Sumix?

Yes, the simulation
is remarkably accurate.

- Hmm.
- It's a perfect recreation of the royal palace,

where I will live with Prince
Oren and his other two wives.

What is it with you Sumi anyway?

- The second wife kills the first?
- Or the third.

A bit complicated for the addled human mind
to comprehend. So I understand your confusion.

But why do you do it?

Why do you guys kill each other?

Because we are weak.

Not exactly how I'd describe
the Sumi women.

Our society is ruled by men.

They rule as
all insecure rulers do:

They pit those beneath them
against each other.

So, instead of banding together
and demanding equality,

our culture gives us meaningless
rewards for killing our sisters.

Refuse, and you simply become
a corpse more quickly.

"May your wedding dress
not be your funeral shroud."

That is what my father
will say to me,

as he gives me to my husband.

But... I will not
be easy to kill.

I'm sorry.

I can't.

I have someone.

What's that got to do
with anything?

I'm just saying, you and me,
it can't happen.

Not right now, anyways.

Of course, it cannot.

I'm to be joined this week.

And by the time you realize
how you feel about someone,

I'll likely be dead.

What would the other wives do if they found
out you were consorting with the enemy?

Let us strive not to find out.

"I show you my back."

Tonight, I will have
my back tattooed.

- What will it say?
- It is a very private thing.

Once I am married,

I will never show my back
to anyone again,

lest they plant a knife in it.

Cap, we got good news.

You've convinced Salazen
to give up Ralen's contract?

Uh, no. But we think
we might have found a way

to treat Greg and Collins'
Ryodyne affliction.

That actually is very good news.

If Ralen were to go into the ring with a
Ryodyne-fueled Collins, he may not come out.

It's not a cure, but Jett did
manage to find a Cronin vaccine

that should suppress
the more aggressive

and, more importantly,
homicidal tendencies.

- When can we administer treatment?
- Almost immediately.

- Almost?
- First, we need to hit the bar.

You're joking, right?

Not exactly.

The last of the ingredients
includes a type of distilled liquor

that has been matured and heated
to produce phenolic aldehydes

that can only be found
in alcohol.

Not to mention we need to
celebrate my total genius

and inspired scientific acumen.

Sure, that too.

Mine's a whiskey.

Alright.
Wait, wait, wait.

Let me see if I
got this straight.

All three of you
were in love with Jax?

It's complicated.

Oh, my God. Oh,
my God. Oh, my God.

You know what this calls for?

- Hey, Jaxie!
- Greg?

Oh, my God! Where have you been?
I've been so worried about you!

He is with me.

- Getting, as you humans say "totally..."
- Snookered.

- Xander, what are you doing with Ralen and Greg?
- That's on a need-to-know basis.

And you don't need to know.

- What is that that you're wearing?
- Oh, you like it?

More like what
she's not wearing.

- Jett? What are you doing with them?
- Damn, Jax...

- Shut up, Jett.
- Yeah.

- That's a long story.
- You guys have no idea how much I miss you.

And how much
I need you all here.

We miss you.
I... I miss you.

I can't do this alone.

You all know how much is at
stake. I need you all back here.

Except for Jett,
him not so much.

That was unnecessary.

Anyway, guys, I have to go.

- I'm so sorry. I have to meet someone.
- Hey, uh, Jax?

- I just wanted to say, um...
- Yo, Greg.

You are the greatest girl a guy
ever blew up in a spaceship for.

I would say I wish you were
here, but we're all rather inebriated,

and the bar smells quite odd,

so it's probably best
that you're not.

Xander. Say something.

Um...

You make me smile.

And that's all I have.
You make me smile. You...

I think that went rather well.

You got your tattoo, didn't you?

- "You are my sister."
- What does it mean?

I intend to show my back
to all the other wives.

They'll kill you.

Or, we'll start a revolution.

It's a risk I'm willing to take.

We can accept
the worlds as they are,

or we can try and change them.

To what we hope they can be.

You understand, Little One.

More than you know.

Thank you.

For what?

I was beginning
to lose my faith.

In what?

Everything.

Maybe that's why
they sent you to me.

- Osborn?
- No. No.

Not Osborn.

I'm sorry, Aleka.

If only things were different.

How dare you disturb me

on this most sacred day!

Are you certain of this?

What will you do with her?

The Prince will surely
hear of this insult.

Alright, this little cocktail should remove
the last effects of the Ryodyne in your system.

I will not have you take
my power and strength...

No!

Is he dead?

I've lived in a perpetual
haze for so long.

I can finally see through my own
eyes for the first time in a long time.

Thank you.

All of you.

It's good to have
you back, lieutenant.

All that I feel...

is regret and shame for what
I've done to your people.

And to you.

War is a cruel thing
to fill our hearts with hate,

instead of love.

It is unfortunate that we will still
have to face each other in the arena.

What do you mean?

Our match,
it will resume tonight.

You boys are
the talk of the quadrant.

A lot of bets
have been placed down.

Triskelion is salivating
at the idea of the rematch.

And with these collars around
our necks, we can't escape.

At least, not with
our heads intact.

Talking of those collars,
what have you got for me, Jett?

- We need a way to get off this planet, all of us.
- Cap, I got nothing.

Come on, Ralen's dad wouldn't really
let his son die in the arena, would he?

Would he?

I know what must be done.

Lieutenant Collins...

you are going to
have to kill me.

I need your help.
They have your friend.

Who has her?

Faro-Ron,
the Sumi Secret Police.

- What do they want with Jax?
- It does not matter.

What matters is that
if we do not stop them,

you will never see
Jax alive again.

Hi. This is my room.

No!

Hey!

What are you doing?

- It's what must be done.
- But it's murder!

It's survival.

And it's our way.

It's okay, Jax.

You're safe.

Where's Aleka?

She's gone, but...

she asked me to give you this.

Thank you, Zazie.

Thank you for helping me. You
were really there when I needed you.

What are friends for, right?

I'm sorry I haven't
always been there for you,

but I promise you,
moving forward, I will be.

I know what it's like
to feel alone.

That's really sweet, Jax.

And, don't worry, I'm going.

I know you want your privacy.

Bye.

By the time you see this, I will
be on my way home to be joined.

On this data cube is everything
which Osborn asked for,

which proves that the Sumi are behind
the pirate incursions in the Outer Rim.

If they can peel off these
colonies from EarthCom,

my people will move in
and take these worlds,

and these resources,
for themselves.

But we are getting help
from someone on Earth.

I do not know who.

This you will have to
find out for yourself.

My wedding dress will probably
be my funeral shroud,

but I shall try my best
to make a difference.

Jax Zhou,

I show you my back.

And you are my sister.

It's done.

I've done everything
you asked for, Tierney.

Well done.

Now it's almost time
to come in from the cold.

So, go back to Jax,

and Eve and I will see you soon.

And one last thing, Little One.

Don't trust your friend Zazie
with your back.

This is the galactic brawl of
the millennia we are witnessing,

as once again an EarthCom hero
and a vile Zatarian soldier

meet in deadly combat
on the field of battle!

Lieutenant.

What did Ralen say?

It's Latin.

It's what the gladiators
used to say in ancient Rome...

just before
they died in the ring.

Ralen!

Come on!

Greg!

I was wondering when you'd
finally pay me a visit.

Brace yourselves!
This is gonna be a bumpy landing!

Drop your weapons.

Our ship was shot down by Sumi
pirates. We need your help.

You need our help? We've been waiting
for help from EarthCom for months now.

- This can't be good.
- Soon we're gonna have company.

Sumi marauders. I wonder
what they'll give us for you.

I'm so sorry for what happened
to you. We only wanted to help.

We want the same thing,
believe me.

Really?
And what is that?

To save the universe
from destruction.

Kill, Ubu, kill.

Good fish.