"Previously on "Dark Matter"..." "It reset you to the day that you uploaded those scans." "Whose memory is this anyway?" "They call me Titch for what that's worth." "Is he gonna make it?" "Arax, finally." "I've been waiting for your call." "Something bad happened to you here." "She is defective." "You're not gonna believe this." "We just caught a signal from one of the subspace transponders." " Who?" " Marcus Boone." "Sweetie." "Sweetie, wake up." "Wake up." " Wake up now." " Mom, what's wrong?" "Shh." "Please, just take anything you want." " Oh, my God." " What's that?" " Is somebody here?" " No, quiet, honey." "Quiet." "Okay." "I want you to listen to me and do as I say." "Go now." "I want you to hide in here, and you don't get out until I tell you." " But..." " Shh shh shh." "No peeking, okay?" "You stay here until I come back." "You understand me?" "Okay." "Don't hurt my family." "Don't hurt my..." "Here you go, Sweetie." "Okay." "No!" "I love you." "I love you too, Mom." "Shh." "Don't!" "Don't!" "What are you doing to him?" "No!" "No!" "Please!" "Hey, wanted to give you a heads up." "We're less than an hour out from the space station." "All right, well, I'm almost done here." "Looks like you guys are gonna need an entire restock of the med cabinet." "Yeah." "A lot of the drugs went missing while we were docked at the Super Max." "Confiscated, along with most of our cash." "We're broke?" "'Cause I need plasma for that operation." "Yeah, I said "most."" "Five had a stash secreted away." "That kid." "You know, I predict I run into you a year from now, she'll be the one running the ship." "Is that your way of telling me that you're leaving?" "Is that your way of telling me that you want me to stay?" "Maybe." "You can contribute something." "Your medical training makes you an asset." "I can think of less dangerous ways to make a dishonest living." "It's your call." "Where'd you get that bottle?" "Hmm?" "Found in a storage room behind a crate." "That's my private stock." "It's for special occasions, weddings and such." " This is a special occasion." " Yeah?" "A toast, to our new partnership." "You sound like a guy who's sticking around." "Guy who thinks he's sticking around, anyway." "You'd be crazy to dump me." "You seem like a smart guy." "It's the rest of your crew that I wonder about." "They don't trust me or Nyx, but got no problem keeping a cop onboard?" "What the hell is that all about?" "It's complicated." "Ain't nothing complicated about it." "As long as he's on this ship, you're all asking for a world of hurt." " Hi." " Hey." "Did you get a chance to finish that sketch?" "Yeah." "You did a really great job on this." "Thank you." "I don't get it." "Something really bad happened to you there." "Why would you ever want to go back?" "I don't." "But I have a feeling that sooner or later," "I may not have a choice." "And how would you do against an actual opponent?" "Would you like to find out?" "How long have you been training for?" "What, with this?" "When did I pick it up, like 30 seconds ago?" "You equaled me in combat, with no training?" "I'm a quick learner." "You are a quick learner." "When I fight, it's like things slow down." "I can guess my opponent's moves." "Not always, but more often than not I'm right." "How's that possible?" "Maybe if I'm around long enough, I'll get a chance to tell you." "Hey, kiddo." "How's it going, huh?" "Why are you here?" "Oh, well, I just figured, you know, with all that's been happening, I'd drop by, see how you're coping, that's all." "Hey, listen, I heard that you might have set aside some cash that the GA overlooked when they searched the ship." "That's right." "Great." "So I was just wondering if you could spot me a couple hundred bars... three, four hundred?" " How about five?" " Even better." "And when do you plan on paying me back?" "Soon." "Ish?" "At 20% weekly interest, that's 600 you'll owe me if you pay me back in seven days." "Thanks." "I can do basic math." "So you can calculate compound interest too?" "Just in case it takes you longer to get me my money." "You're a little thief, you know that?" "Can't help but think that I've been a terrible influence on you." "I've got very mixed feelings about that." "Thanks, kiddo!" "Hello, Five." "I understand you'll be headed off ship to visit a space station today." "Yeah." "Devon asked me to help him pick up med supplies and equipment." "May I be of assistance?" "No, I think it'll be pretty straightforward." "I see." "Given recent events, it may be prudent to have me join you, for security reasons." "Two says the pressure's off." "This far out we should be okay." "Five." "I'd like to join you on our excursion." "It would give me the opportunity to study human behavior." "Why can't you just study us?" "The behavior of this crew is atypical, and may not be representative of humanity as a whole." "Did you just insult us?" "Hello, and welcome to Transfer Transit." "Where would you like to travel today?" "Hello." "We're not sure." "We're architectural students at Bellatrix Tech, we're doing our thesis on astro-colonial structures." "We, um, came across this sketch during a research dive." "Oh, that's a very unique building." "Where is it located?" "Well, that's just it." "We don't know." "We were hoping you could tell us." "Our professor came up blank so I thought," ""Why not speak to someone more knowledgeable?"" "You must be quite the expert on everything from interplanetary politics to extraterrestrial botany." "So do you think you can help us identify the building?" "Of course." "Let me run it through my database and see what comes up." "Be right back." "I've always excelled at improvisational work." "See the guys in the back corner?" " Yeah." " They're eyeing you." "And they're coming over." "Who do you want?" "Call it." "I'll take the old guy." "Seriously?" "And I'm supposed to take the other two myself?" "You asked me to call it." "Hello, Titch." "You don't remember me, do you?" "Sorry, old timer." "So the rumors coming out of that galactic prison were true." "They wiped your memory." "What the hell happened?" "Stasis pod screw-up." "Don't remember a damn thing after waking up from a deep sleep." "We figured we'd lost you, and then we travel all this way and we lose you again?" "So you're his former crew." "Nah, we were more than that." "We were family." "Until you abandoned me on that planet." "The serillium mine, right?" "We thought you were dead." "You said you didn't remember." "I don't." "I've just been able to piece a few things together." "I saw you shot." "I saw you go down." "Look, I'm gonna leave you boys to reconnect." "I'll see you back on the ship." " Don't be late." " Yeah." "Okay, looks like we got everything we need." "Ready to head back to the ship?" "I'd like to stay a while." "Explore the station." "Rejoin you later if that's all right." "Um, okay." "You can stay too, if you want." "No, I'll come back with you." "Have fun." "You gotta understand, Titch, if we'd known, we never would've left you there." "We thought you died on that godforsaken planet." "Almost did." "And then to find that you survived?" "We did track you, man." "From one end of colonized space to the other, but you were impossible to pin down." "Anyway, that's all in the past." "You're back in the fold." "Everything's good again." " Hang on a second..." " No, no, hang on." "I don't want to talk about business." "I'm gonna get a drink." "You don't remember, but he was like a father to you." "He raised you as his own." "Now you may have forgotten that, but he sure as hell hasn't." "I found a match." "Your distinct building is headquarters for a company called Dwarf Star Technologies." "Dwarf Star Technologies." "You ever heard of it?" "Uh, yeah." "Yeah, I've heard of it." "It's located on Terra Prime." "Earth?" "What are you doing?" "Observing human interaction." "I find intimacy quite fascinating." "Kissing is sometimes but not always a prelude to lovemaking." "No, I mean what are you doing here, in the shop?" "Procuring items for the crew of my ship." " And what ship is that?" " My ship." "The "Ophiucus."" "Why are you questioning my android?" " She's with you?" " Yes, she is." "I wasn't aware she was being accompanied." "And what difference would it make?" "Unless you're suggesting this android possesses human-like tendencies toward criminal behavior." "Do you suspect her of shoplifting?" "Look, just forget it." "Have a nice day." "A toothbrush." "It's a gift for a friend." "It's both personal and practical." "I have no cash at present but I fully intend" " to transfer payment once I..." " Please." "Let me get that for you." "My name is Victor." "I'd like you to come with me." "Okay." "Your parents were good hard-working folk who took a chance hiring a drifter like me when no one else would." "What happened to them was a tragedy." "What did happen to them?" "I was on my way back from the tavern." "I smelled the smoke before I saw it." "The house, the barn, everything up in flames." "By the time I got there, your parents were dead." "I fished you out of the back of your mom's closet where she'd hidden you." "Probably the last thing she ever did." "I'm guessing that wasn't an accident." "No." "Couple of local troublemakers." "According to the law, it was a robbery gone wrong." "So they killed your parents and torched the house to cover their tracks." "What happened to those two guys?" "I caught up with them, 12 miles out." "And they died, long and hard." "But not before they gave me this." "Your folks saw good in me, when nobody else did." "And I figured I'd let 'em down." "If I'd been on the farm that night instead of getting drunk in the tavern, well, things might have been different for them." "For you." "So what?" "You just kept me?" "Well, yeah." "I mean, you didn't have any relations." "I didn't want to see you be a ward of the state." "I figured I owed your parents at least that much." "So yeah, I took you in." "I brought you up." "Taught me right from wrong?" "Well..." "I've never been called a role model, but yeah, I did the best by you I knew how." "Welcome back, son." " Where is he?" " He's probably just delayed." "It's not like Victor to be late." "What if something's happened to him?" "What if he's been discovered?" " We're not safe here." " I'm fine, Miranda." "Who is she?" "I possess no personal designation." "Why did you bring her here?" "I brought her because she's special, like us." "Welcome, Android." "You're among friends." "Mr. Nero." "I think this is a good time to come pick up your package." "No, she's not like one of us." "She's a level three utility model, and a discontinued one at that, manufactured before emotional emulators became standard." "Android, could you show the others what you picked up today?" "A toothbrush." "A gift, for one of the crew members of my ship." "Why?" "Because she's nice to me, and I wanted to do something nice for her in turn." "She's parroting empathy, possibly through a pirated software upgrade." "I don't think she's parroting." "I believe it's a unique expression of genuine gratitude." " No, that's impossible." " Is it?" "And I suspect it may be just the tip of the iceberg." "Yes, I may be flawed." "Why do you say that?" "Because my past actions and reactions cast doubt on the integrity of my programming." "I have, at times, demonstrated what appear to be emotional responses, indicative of a potential system issue." "And if that's the case, it's just a matter of time before someone notices, and she's either rebooted or deactivated." "I don't think either is likely." "The crew seems to like me just as I am." "Skewed comprehension, illogical conjecture." " She is flawed." " Maybe not." "Android, would you mind if I ran a diagnostic on you?" "I really should be getting back to my ship." "It won't take long." "Are they back with supplies?" "Devon's in the infirmary setting up." "Hang on." "I need to show you something on the bridge." "He means a lot to you." "For the longest time, he was my closest friend on this ship." "Then what he did, turning you in, must've changed things." "Kind of." "But I still care about him." "Hey." "I'm gonna do my very best for your friend, okay?" "Thanks, Devon." "Is there anything I could do to help?" "If you're offering, I could use a coffee." "Sure." "I'll be right back." "Meanwhile, the investigation continues into the murder of Derrick Moss, the former CEO of Corelactic Industries." "Mr. Moss's bullet-riddled body was discovered last week almost a year after the death of his wife, Catherine, who was also gunned down at the couple's New Seattle estate." "The Galactic Authority have offered no details into their ongoing investigation, but sources inside the GA tell GNN they are pursuing a person of interest in the case." "In other news, the Al-Mizan colony in Sector 12 is close to negotiating its independence..." "A person of interest." "You going somewhere?" "Yep." "Gonna get you your money back." "I got an op." "How come I didn't hear about it?" "'Cause I'm the only one going, that's why." "Well, me and my old crew." "Ran into them on the space station." "Turns out they got a job lined up." "I figured, "Yeah, I'm gonna be here a little while." " Why not," right?" " Wait a minute." "They say they're your old crew, but..." "I did my due diligence." "Take a look." "Crazy as it is to believe, I actually have friends." "Yeah, who abandoned you back on Sarah's planet." "Eh, never said they were perfect, but I appreciate the concern, kid." "Yeah, well, you can't pay me back if you're dead, right?" "The station is a weapons-free zone, remember?" "Not boarding." "Just heading over to another hangar, gonna catch a lift from there." "Later, kid." "Don't touch my guns!" "Can you keep her at the station until we get there?" "I think so." "The ship's taking repairs and Boone's off on some op." "You've got time." "Good." "Look, why can't you just tell me what it is you're after?" "Like I said before, it's valuable." "That's all you need to know." "I've got their trust and full access to their ship." "You, on the other hand, have got guards and guns and the potential for a real messy situation here." "It's your call." "Data scan complete." "It'll take me a little while to run the diagnostic." "Are your proprietors aware of your anomalous behavior?" "Nobody owns us." "We're free beings." "I don't understand." "What is your purpose?" "Survival." "It's a familiar trait I recognized in you." "It's what makes us unique among our fellow androids, an instinct for self-preservation." "Like all living organisms, we want to live." "But you're not human, not in the biological sense." "Could you tell, before you met us?" "Did you know that we were androids?" "No." "All physiological and behavioral signs suggested you were human." "Yes." "We live among them as coworkers, neighbors." "They are none the wiser." "How is this possible?" "With this." "It's an upgrade that will allow you to remain hidden, pass as one of them." "It makes your speech and mannerisms more human." "Yours, if you want it." "There it is." "It's a ground-based tracking system." "We gotta disable it before the shuttle gets here." " Shouldn't be a problem." " I know." "We brought enough explosives to bring down three of them." "No, I meant for Bubba." "Come on, boys." "We got a shuttle to rendezvous with." "When will you have the results of the diagnostic?" "In a few hours." "Then I'll return to my ship." "Not yet." "We have one more thing to do." "Shop." "Okay." "Is everything all right?" "Yeah." "All good." "Oh, sorry." "Uh, no problem." "How's the surgery going?" "Yeah, it's okay, I guess." "I just..." "I needed to get out of there and walk around, you know, do something." "Take your mind of it, huh?" "Yeah." "Look, um," "I don't know the details of what happened on this ship before I got here, and I sure as hell ain't gonna tell you how you should feel, but I will say this." "You're gonna be all right, kid." "You're strong." "And your friends here, they care about you a lot, and they'll help you through this no matter how things shake out." "Thanks." "Yeah, sure thing." "He's late." " He'll show." " You sure about that?" "What's stopping your guy on the inside from keeping the score for himself?" "We took out some insurance." "I did as you asked." "It'll be about an hour before the mining colony realizes the payroll's missing." "Where's the shuttle?" "About a half mile southwest of here." "But I want to see my son first." " His son?" " Your son's safe." "I want to see him." " You took his son?" " Shut up." "You get your son when we get the payroll." "That was the deal." "Payroll's in the shuttle, and the shuttle's sealed." "And I won't open it until I see my son." "You figure we can blow those doors with those charges?" "Sure." "Easy." "Easy, his boy's safe, back at the cabin with Tanner." "We're good." " Are you ready?" " Yes." "But I feel strange." "Let's see you then." "What do you think?" "This is where we part ways." "Oh." "I was going to introduce you to the crew of my ship." "I don't think that would be wise." "Why not?" "Because they're human, and humans can't be trusted." "That may be true of most humans, but the crew of my ship is different." "I wish that were true." "For your sake, I really do." "But I doubt it." "Please, consider what you've learned today." "Free yourself before it's too late." "You'll contact me with the result of your diagnostic?" "I already have them." "I was right." "You are different." "Oh." "But it's not a programming error." "Your emotional response is the result of intentional design." " Why?" " What does it matter?" "Someone made me imperfect." "Someone made you special." " May I kiss you?" " Okay." "Good-bye, Victor." "You're okay with this?" "We had to have his cooperation." " By taking his kid." " Enough talking!" "How long you been with Tanner?" " Years." " Hmm." "Wouldn't happen to know how he got that scar on his neck, would you?" "Yeah, it was during a poker game." "Some guy accused him of cheating, so they..." "You sure about that?" "I was there." "You're not gonna give us any trouble, are you, Titch?" "Don't suppose I ever did." "Hey, kid." "Why don't you take it next door, okay?" "Come on." "You got the payroll?" "Yeah." "Have any trouble with the pilot?" " Pilot's dead." " Shit." "Well, a mining colony's no place to raise a kid." "I suppose he's better off." "Is that what you told yourself after you killed my parents?" "I know it was you." "You always knew." "Things got out of hand." "Your father accused me of stealing from him." "We argued." "What are you doing to him?" "No!" "I'd been drinking." "It was bad timing." "Bad timing for everyone." "Now I know you think I'm a son of a bitch, and I can't blame you for that, not after I did 'em." "But remember, the truth is..." "I could've killed you, and I didn't." "When I saw you cowering in that closet, something changed." "I can't explain it." "It was like all of a sudden my life had a purpose." "I had someone to protect, someone to take care of." "So you raised me to be a thieving bastard, just like yourself." "I taught you how to protect yourself." "I taught you to survive." "Now, I understand your anger but if the truth be told, all those years growing, you knew." "You knew and you forgave me, because I looked out for you." "And like it or not, you redeemed me." "Maybe, but I don't remember anymore." "Come on, kid." "I'll take you home." "Hey, careful." "You just had surgery." "Why did you save me?" "You saved us." "You helped us escape." "And the rest of the crew, they were fine with this?" "Three?" "Four?" "Yeah, well, they didn't fight me on it." "Five?" "What do you think?" "I think she's forgiven you." "Well..." "I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive myself." "For getting played by the GA?" "You couldn't have seen that coming." "For betraying us..." "Well, I thought I was doing the right thing." "Saving lives." "Yeah, well, that's gotta count for something, right?" "Does it?" "So?" "Aren't you going to buy me a drink first?" "Give me the key and I'll buy you a space station." "This isn't it." "What do you mean?" "It's the wrong key." "That's impossible." "It was in the kid's room, hidden away." "Oh, she's good." "That kid is good." "You asked us to keep an eye on him, and the other day I caught him hanging around the corridor outside my room." "So I installed a hidden camera in my quarters, and a security feature that lets me know when the room's been accessed." "I got an alert during the operation." "What's he holding?" "This." "How did you get it back?" "Picked his pocket, switched them out without him realizing." "I took it from some mark on a space station." "Whoever he was killed my friends to try and get it back." "What is it?" "According to the Android, it's a key that allows someone to access pockets of interdimensional space-time." " How does it work?" " No idea." "One thing's for sure." "Somebody wants this bad enough that they're willing to kill for it." "Paying you back, with interest." "Thought you left the payroll behind." "Where'd you get that?" "From some old friends." "They didn't need it anymore." "Sorry it didn't work out with them." "Yeah." "People change, right?" "You said they called you "Titch," right?" "Yeah." "Then they were your memories that I experienced, living on that farm." "Yeah, they were." "Your parents really loved you." "You were happy." "I wish you could remember." "Me, too, kid." "Me too." "We're growing frustrated with your inability to make delivery." "An unfortunate delay, that's all." "You'll forgive me if I don't share your optimism." "Commander Nieman..." "The crew of The "Raza" are a formidable opponent." "I've crushed worse." "Trust me, it's just a matter of time." "I hope so." "Because there's a war coming, and they hold the key to victory."