"What'd i tell you guys?" "Mm." "A usable weapon." "Better than most of what this system" "Has to offer." "Very accurate and very fast." "Yeah, that's because it doesn't rely" "On expanding gas propulsion," "Which is like trying to control an explosion." "Where'd you get it?" "Got it from a guy" "Who got it from a guy" "Who got it from another on one of the outer planets." "Clever, huh?" "I'll stick with what i have." "All right." "I know it's not pretty, rhade." "It doesn't go with your pants," "But it's not the weapon i'm after here." "It's the crystal." "Come on, guys, let's face it." "If we're ever going to get out of here," "We need two things" "Money and power." "I take it this crystal provides the power?" "Yeah," "Uh, that's the gold mine," "Right there." "Now, you just witnessed the demonstration" "Of how much energy" "A tiny fraction of that crystal can hold." "Now, extrapolate it to a macroscopic scale." "Think bigger." "Hmm." "Andromeda." "So you can convert the ship" "To operate on this power source?" "Let's do it." "Great." "Now, there's just one catch." "The crystal comes from a mine" "On seefra-8." "Place called cutter's grove." "Owner's a guy named cutter." "Miners are in hock to him so deep they never get out," "And he doesn't like visitors." "However, i hear he's always looking for muscleheads" "To help keep his workers in line." "Uh, excuse me." "I seem to have gotten lost," "And i was wondering if you could" "Okay." "Don't ask for directions in this town." "Whoa!" "What the hell is the matter with you?" "No, this isn't" "Necessary." "Okay, now you're pissing me off!" "Stay in line!" "I, uh... i have no idea what that was about." "That's the surog." "They don't need a reason." "Oh." "Well, thank you." "Welcome to cutter's grove." "I'm cutter." "Now, get out." "The universe is a dangerous place," "But in our future," "My crew and i fight to make it safe." "I am dylan hunt," "Captain of theandromeda ascendant," "And these are our adventures." "We're not looking for visitors." "Fine, but i'm just here on business." "The name's dylan hunt." "Dylan hunt." "You don't say." "I've recently heard about you." "Is that good or bad?" "If you have business here, it's with me." "Keep in line." "Move!" "Move!" "Eyes down!" "Eyes down!" "Keep in line!" "Come on, get in line!" "Keep in line!" "It, uh, doesn't seem" "Like your workforce is willing to work." "Dylan hunt, i hear," "Is always concerned for other people's well-Being." "That is a... a weakness." "They'd be more effective if you treated them well." "I count on them to dig, they count on me for food," "A decent place to live." "In return, i look after the families." "It's a perfect social contract." "Yeah." "Sounds perfect." "The mines are toxic, but not for the surog." "They're born out there." "The toxins in the quartz" "Don't affect them." "Don't affect them, huh?" "How fortunate for you." "But anyway, like i said, i'm here on business." "For, uh... what you've got" "Right there." "Moonshine's connected to the... pressure shunt." "Pressure shunt is connected to the... sinic lead... sinic lead is connected to the... quartz frame." "Ha!" "Ladies and gentlemen... okay, maybe that's an overstatement." "Honored guest, may i present" "A work of subtlety, beauty, and grace... thank you." "The still!" "Oh." "Never before has an acuity of genius" "Been given to someone so capable of delivering." "Starting from nothing," "Transforming it" "Into an ever-Changing, once-In-A-Lifetime experience." "Better top the build-Up." "Moonshine!" "Like old pappy harper used to make." "The old-Fashioned kind, but better." "The machine shrewdly extracts an adaptable brew" "That aligns itself to any palate" "Via sub-Molecular tastebud readers." "It's a chameleon of flavor." "Irresistible to anyone that tries it." "So the prices are headed up?" "Way up!" "With no end in sight." "And obviously no beginning." "Ha, ha, ha." "Laugh it up." "Too bad for you i made it so you can't drink." "Otherwise, you'd be the first" "To see what i'm talking about." "All right." "Watch... and be humbled." "Ooh!" "Harper!" "Harper, are you okay?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "I'm okay." "Ow." "Is it getting infected already?" "Ah, nah, it's fine." "Uh... here." "This'll kill anything." "There you go." "You see, most people in this backwater system" "Are afraid of progress," "But this little baby right here," "This is the wave of the future." "That's the equalizer." "Yeah." "I take it they're selling pretty well?" "Sells itself." "See, once your neighbor has one, you've got to have one." "How many do you need?" "You there, pick that up!" "I'm not here for the weapons." "I want the quartz." "Okay, well, that's not for sale." "I don't need competition, especially from you." "I'm not interested in competing with you." "I need it to fix my ship." "Well, i told you," "It's not for sale," "But you can earn it." "I'm listening." "I want to build this town into something more" "Than a mining camp." "Yeah?" "Law and order." "Peacekeeping." "Bringing civilization to this wild frontier." "That's up your alley, right?" "You want me to keep the surog in line?" "That's the deal." "Didn't you hear me?" "I said move!" "Or no deal." "Come on, next!" "Pick that up!" "That one!" "Stay in line!" "Faster." "Faster!" "That's a nice necklace." "Hey." "Hey." "Relax." "I'm not trying to take your necklace." "I just wanted to make a little conversation." "You watch it!" "The rest of them, move!" "Dylan sent her?" "That is correct." "Just because she hasn't been here before," "I don't understand why you feel weird about it." "I cannot say i do either... but i do sense an urgency." "She's docked and headed to command." "On screen." "Oh, boy." "There's trouble." "Yes." "I see what you mean." "It's not entirely inappropriate." "There's something moving in me which defies explanation." "I've never... analysis incomplete." "You're losing your touch." "I heard you." "I'll have to keep that in mind." "How'd negotiations with cutter go?" "It's kind of what we expected." "Won't sell any quartz, but hey, he offered me a job." "Well, i assume you accepted." "Only way to get in." "What'd you find out?" "Well, cutter's guards are loyal and very nasty." "He pays them well." "They love keeping the surogs in submission," "Who don't talk and don't think." "Rhade, there's something more to them." "Oh, here comes the crusade." "Hey, we can't just turn a blind eye." "You can't." "I can." "I'm here for one thing" "The crystal we need to power upandromeda." "If the surog miners can't help us out," "Then we do it ourselves and forget about them." "But i can't do that." "Now that i've seen the surog... they deserve a better life." "We need a new plan." "Listen, dylan, be careful... don't leave town without permission." "That's an order." "Trance," "Dylan thought i should help you work on deciphering" "The methus diagrams." "Welcome to the andromeda ascendant." "I am" "A holographic artificial intelligence." "Not so artificial" "That i fail to recognize the tone of your voice." "What tone?" "All i said was "holographic artificial intelligence. "" "Tone meaning attitude" "The underlying emotion of sarcasm." "Um, there's work that does need to be done here, guys." "I control all functions on this starship." "You may access me" "At points which i determine and mediate." "On the other hand," "I have a body and i'm free to walk around." "Then you are also free to leave and not come back." "Okay." "I'm going to the scc." "You can call me when you're friends, okay?" "Okay." "I'm doyle." "And i... am theandromeda ascendant." "We must work this out." "At some point, yes." "Come on, come on!" "How are you doing?" "Remember me?" "Keep in line!" "My name is dylan." "Look, i want to help you." "Understand?" "You don't have to be cutter's slaves." "I can get all of your people out of here." "What's your name?" "Deeron." "Deeron." "See?" "I knew you could talk." "Some of you... didn't bring in your quota." "Two will go back to work until the crates are filled." "That one and that one." "Shoot them!" "Not a good idea." "You work for me," "And i decide who lives and who dies." "Not today." "It's your choice, dylan hunt." "The surog or you." "Well?" "What will it be?" "Their lives or yours?" "Mine." "Let them go." "I'm a man of my word." "Go!" "Get his weapon." "They're a little bit touchy." "Idiots." "Put him in lockup." "Pretty good, huh?" "I wouldn't go into acting" "If i were you." "What?" "You've got to be kidding me." "That's all there is." "Sorry." "Except for the one with the window." "If i could replicate these... like the man said," "Look, but don't touch." "It's odd." "Here i am trying to tame a wilderness," "Improve lives." "I thought dylan hunt was the same." "Not everyone understands" "That to build a strong society," "The weakest have to be eliminated." "I want dylan hunt dead." "One problem- His friends." "They'll want to know what happened to him." "I've had enemies before." "Well, from what i've seen," "I wouldn't recommend" "Going up against his friends" "With combustion weapons." "You have a better idea?" "If dylan were to take one chance too many," "The odds might catch up with him." "I don't think anyone would be surprised." "You're suggesting... an accident?" "I'm suggesting be patient." "Now i know why they call it a "manhole. "" "Hunt escaped." "He's gone." "Assemble a team." "Make sure he doesn't beat the odds." "Ah!" "Ow." "Ooh!" "Harper!" "What are you, uh, hiding there?" "Nothing." "What are you doing here?" "What do you mean, what am i doing here?" "We had a date." "You were supposed to do something" "About the uneven flux resistance on themaru... preferably before i go careening" "Into one of these damn suns." "Right." "You still owe me for a silicon re-Line job." "Yes, and you will get your money" "As soon as i get paid for the jabox job." "Come on." "It's themaru." "Do it for sentimental reasons." "Do it for 20% interest." "Okay." "Now you're talking my language." "But my still, model two, comes first." "As soon as dylan returns with what i need," "I'm back on the case." "I am going to be beating them away." "Right, but until then, you owe me a flux job." "Aah!" "Ooh!" "Ooh!" "Sensitive skin." "So, uh, what's with the helmet?" "Long story." "Wait." "You need rest." "I'm sorry." "I, uh... who are you?" "I am tolek." "This is lon." "We found you in the caves." "There is a force in you... to be trusted, protected." "Breathe deeply." "It will heal the damage inside." "This oil counters" "The poison from the quartz." "You're lucky you only breathed it." "It would have killed you, but slowly." "Tolek's medicine saved you." "I hope i can return the favor." "Thought you might be" "In need of some assistance." "Should have known" "You'd make other arrangements." "It's all right, rhade." "Rhade's a friend." "This is lon... and tolek." "They saved my life." "A gift." "What's that?" "It's, uh... an equalizer." "Down!" "Over there!" "There, there!" "You stay here." "Circle around!" "That's it!" "Move in!" "Keep firing!" "There!" "There, on the left!" "Come on, move!" "That's a nice shot." "Instant death." "It contains a special poison." "Well done, lon." "Well, so much for superior technology." "This way." "Okay, so what are the readings" "On the, um... oh." "Uh, the up-And-Down thing?" "The vertical?" "Right." "Uh, spiking at plus or minus five." "Okay, so, uh... magnetic interference... we need more magnetic interference." "We have plenty of interference, harper." "That's kind of the problem." "Right." "Of course." "Um... insulation?" "We need insulation." "Did you sleep enough?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "Why?" "I don't know, you're just... not your usual quick and quippy self." "I'm just trying to concentrate, you know?" "Ooh!" "What are the readings on the vertical?" "They're spiking." "At plus or minus five, i said." "Forget this." "I'm going to go get a roll of insulation." "Yeah." "Yeah." "Good idea." "Take your time." "Oh... finally." "You're surog, all of you here?" "Yes." "But you have no, uh..." "skin lesions that i can see," "And you can speak." "So what happened to the others is from mining the quartz?" "Those who work in the mines go through drastic changes." "First, the skin," "Finally, the mind." "The madness takes each in turn." "Sounds like radiation poisoning." "Sounds like it's time to rethink working the mines." "Food is scarce, dylan." "Those who go to the mines are our strongest, our bravest." "Have any come back?" "The miners die." "Their children live." "Not anymore." "As of today," "Everyone lives." "It seems to be, i guess i would say," "Unavoidable." "I'm sure andromedaand i" "Will work it out." "And what about me?" "How do you mean?" "Well, dylan didn't really send you" "To help me figure out the methus diagram." "I don't have a clue what it means," "And he knows that." "I" " I used to know." "I used to know just about everything, apparently," "But i didn't say much about it," "And i don't know why." "So why did he send me?" "I think it was to see" "Howandromeda would react," "Which goes back to what we were saying before." "Right." "So the only unavoidable conclusion to draw" "Is since i'm built from rommie," "That i am rommie, but... not." "And what about you?" "Well, i don't know." "I" "Dylan says he thinks that i'm the problem," "But how am i the problem?" "I don't know... andthat is a problem." "Yes, we're going to have to think about that one." "Or maybe it'll all just come clear," "Like it does sometimes." "Now, that sounds like me." "But you're rommie." "Right, but... not." "Tolek, i know that this sacrifice" "Is part of your culture," "But change is also part of life." "Sorry to interrupt." "Excuse us." "Been trying to contact beka," "But the atmosphere here is too charged." "Communication is limited" "To the surface" "And low orbit." "We need themaru, so do what you can." "I'm going to try to convince the surog" "That it's time to leave this planet." "Actually, i do have an idea." "Make sure all the crystal" "Is loaded onto the stream fan." "I'll take it out to the factory myself" "First light." "It's going to be hard" "To convince the entire village" "To leave." "This life is all they know." "But you need to get somewhere safe." "I feel safe here with you." "I can't stay here forever." "Why not?" "Look, um... even if i could stay," "It doesn't change the fact" "That you have to leave this place." "You have to get away from these mines." "I was afraid to think of leaving," "But you convinced me." "I can imagine a future," "Not just for my people, but for myself." "Rhade, check in if you're in range." "Damn." "Oh!" "No!" "What are you doing?" "He wanted to take you away." "He wanted to take us all away," "To save us!" "He did a shameful act." "He tried to kill you." "I'm sorry... but you are a lucky man." "You had the force of light in you." "I think it was the oil that you put on me" "That saved my life again." "As for lon, ah, he's young." "He just wanted to protect you." "The stream fan, gone?" "Just before dawn." "Rhade never returned from his mission." "He's been tricking me from the start," "He and dylan hunt, working together." "That means they're still out there somewhere," "On my land." "Somebody's keeping them alive." "Get the men." "Move." "Move!" "Put all the surog into the mines." "Anyone who resists, dies." "We're not coming back until dylan hunt is dead." "I have to make a living, rhade," "And carting refugees around isn't exactly profitable." "Come on... a one-Day job, max." "Ferry the people" "From the surface of the planet to theandromeda," "Then... they're not your problem anymore." "They're already not my problem." "You can't just turn a blind eye on this." "You're starting to sound just like dylan." "Oh, my god." "You really are." "It's not intentional, believe me." "I know, it's just what always happens." "He turns everyone into an idealistic idiot... including me." "All right." "One day." "I understand" "That your traditions honor those" "Who give their lives in the mines" "So that their families can live," "And i applaud their devotion... but i won't applaud their sacrifice," "Not when there are other options." "You've all become slaves to the mines," "Even those of you who stay here." "It's time to break those chains." "My ship can take all of you" "To where there are no mines to destroy your families... a free land where you can earn a living" "Without sacrificing your health or sanity." "Listen to me." "This is the chance" "To truly honor your fallen ancestors." "Please... let me help you." "I am going with dylan." "Who else will go?" "I will go." "Dylan hunt faced death" "To offer us this chance." "I was death's instrument, and death did not take him." "Now i ask his forgiveness." "I offer him my support." "We honor the miners" "Who give everything so that we can survive." "Now it's our turn to risk everything," "In a new place, for them!" "So beka told you" "We're going to seefra-8?" "Yeah, she also told me" "We're picking up a load of... refugees?" "Not exactly the cargo i had in mind." "What can i tell you?" "We had to improvise." "What the hell happened to you?" "Nothing." "Just a little mishap i had with a project." "Maybe you should take a rest." "Maybe you should mind your own business." "Trying to work here..." "over my shoulder." "Let's see." "Dylan, we have a medical alert here on themaru." "Doohickeys all look the same." "Oh, not all of them." "Only what you can carry." "We won't have a lot of time" "Once cutter spots my friends landing here." "We won't need that anymore." "Yeah, but i have a friend who does," "Then we're all done." "Will we be able to take everyone?" "We won't leave anyone behind" "Who wants to come." "My concern is the miners." "We have to convince them in a hurry" "That it's time to leave," "And i've seen what happens when they get angry." "Every one of them has someone they love here." "We'll make them understand." "Well, i hope so." "Dylan, we're in orbit above you." "Good, right on time." "Maybe not." "There's a mass of armed men heading right for your position." "We have to move." "Cutter's on the attack." "Nothing." "We searched everywhere." "No one?" "No." "Not a soul." "It's like they knew we were coming." "Leave it." "Just leave it." "We'll be there soon." "There's nothing we could do." "We're outnumbered." "We still have the advantage." "They have to find us... but we know exactly where they are." "If i had missile power," "I'd fire a couple right into that column of men." "If we had missile power," "I'd rig us a... uh... what do you call it?" "...a resonance thingamajig" "Drop it on," "Uh, what's his name's head- Kaboom!" "If i had a hold full of charged quartz" "On that jetstar," "Could we have missile power?" "You've got a hold?" "Full?" "About 15 crates." "Can you use it?" "Try and stop me!" "Now cutter will know what it's like" "To be bullied." "Come on." "Focus." "I can do this." "All right." "P.E. Power conversion on the fly." "Any old second-Hand tech can do this." "Why can't i?" "Why can't i think straight?" "It's the crystal, harper." "Move away." "Let me finish." "Don't touch me!" "Back off, nietzschean." "Harper, you're not well." "Move away!" "Get your hands off of that." "That's mine!" "Harper... settle down." "Hmm." "We've got lots of room for everyone." "Move to the back of the ship, the very back of the ship." "They all left." "The surog, the miners." "They've all gone!" "The whole town is empty." "Where did they go?" "Hunt!" "Why are you doing this?" "I was making a civilized place here." "Civilized for whom?" "Look, uh, this place is poisonous." "I don't recommend hanging around." "I made my home here, i staked my claim," "And i'm not going to let anybody take that from me." "No one's trying to take it from you." "Believe me." "It's all yours." "It's your choice." "You can stay, or you can come along." "That's a good choice." "Ah!" "I'm going to... going to... crush..." "your skull!" "Like a-Like a- What do you call it?" "I'm going to... he'll be all right now." "We just made it." "How are we on weapons?" "We're there." "I'm arming." "Target the mines." "What?" "It's the only way." "Locking on." "Fire." "Why do you think the vedrans" "Created those crystals?" "Well... maybe it was their version" "Of banking power." "Maybe they thought they'd need it one day." "Or" "Or maybe they... were using it as some form" "Of toxic waste management." "The stuff would have made me rich." "The stuff would have made you a madman," "Who, thankfully, wouldn't have been able to talk." "All of you, shut up." "You're awfully quiet, boss." "Back to square one." "No crystals, no power source." "No power source, noandromeda." "Noandromeda, no way out of this system." "Well, we didn't have a choice." "We'll bring her back to life somehow."