" Previously on "Dark Matter"..." " Okay." "Ah!" "I don't regret what I did." "It was in the best interests" " of my Emperor." " The important thing is, we're making progress towards an Interplanetary alliance that could see us gain entry into the League of Autonomous Worlds." "I've lost one of my best operatives, as well as the means to tracking "Raza."" "Given time, I believe I'll have another way to locate the ship and, with your help, take it." "Our fastest ship at your disposal, and all we're getting in return is dirt!" "That dirt is more fertile than anything your rock can produce." "This is nothing but hypothetical until we can guarantee our shipments won't be confiscated by corporate patrols!" "That is exactly what I'm talking about!" "How can that be the least of your concerns..." "This won't be an issue once we've established trade routes." "And with their combined resources, you can stay self-efficient and independent." "What happens when Ferrous Corp or one of the other corps decides to force the issue?" "Then you show them a united front" " and stand up to them." " Well, that's assuming some of us don't find it more profitable to sit back and watch." "The best alliances are those formed from necessity... not convenience." "What's that?" "We're under attack." " What did I tell ya?" " All right." "Let's fall back to my ship." "What's going on?" "A Ferrous Corp destroyer is attacking the colony." " They just launched missiles." " Can we intercept?" "We neutralized one." "The others are headed for Six's location." " Impact in three minutes." " Open fire." "Grab a seat." "They're returning fire." "Shields are holding." ""Raza", this is the "Marauder."" " We're prepping for launch." " Make it quick." "There's a missile headed your way." "Their shields are almost depleted." "I'll put ourselves in between them and the "Marauder's" escape trajectory." "Picking up two more FTL windows." "They're Ferrous Corp destroyers." ""Raza", we're coming in hot and fast for docking." "Dropping shields." "The "Marauder's" docked." "Jumping to FTL." "Hey, kiddo." "Oh..." "If you're headed to the mess, I'd reconsider." " Debate club's in session." " How's it going in there?" "Well, 'bout as well as you'd expect, which is somewhere between hopeless and terrible." "I don't believe that." "This is too Important." "If the colonies can find a way to work together..." "You're kidding me." "They can't even agree on lunch." " How did they find us?" " It's obvious." " Someone talked." " You think it's one of us?" "We were all down on that planet." "That location was known only to the delegates and their top aides." "So one of us has a traitor in their ranks." "I hand-picked my team." "I trust 'em with my life." "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea." " Or maybe it's one of yours." " Okay, right now we have no way of knowing who's responsible." "So pointing fingers isn't gonna accomplish anything." "We do know it was a Ferrous ship, and there's only one person at this table" " from a former Ferrous colony." " What the hell are you saying?" "If they wanted to buy somebody off, they'd start with one of their own." " Say it again." " All right, everyone relax." "Let's calm down." "This is exactly what Ferrous wants..." " To drive a wedge between us." " What they're trying to do" " is scare us into submission." " And I'd say it's working." "No other colony has gone independent since that attack on Sigma-9." "We're about ten hours out from the Minori-7 planetary station." "I'd like to use your ship's communications to let my people know what's going on." "That's not gonna happen." "They need to know I'm not dead." "And they will, when you show up back on your colony." "We've assigned quarters to each of you." "When you would like to finish these discussions, we can go." "I think now would be a good time." "Let's reconvene in the morning." "All right." "This way." "You didn't actually think it'd be that easy, did you?" "I assumed we'd be fighting the corporations," " not each other." " Well, we're workers, not politicians." "You can't expect much in terms of diplomacy." "I'd have settled for a little compassion." "I don't know." "I don't know if I can do this anymore." "Please... don't give up on us." "We need you." "Frankly, I'm surprised that the crew of the "Raza"" "is willing to help broker this alliance." "Given your reputation, I'd assumed you'd just assume cut our throats as save us." "Guess it just goes to show how badly we wanna see this work." "And if a bunch of..." "self-serving outlaws are willing to help your cause, maybe that could inspire you to make an effort." " It's not that simple." " While you and your buddies sit around a table arguing, people are dying." "Provoking Ferrous Corp" " isn't the answer." " You already provoked them, the moment you declared your independence." " They need us." " They don't need you." "They need your minds and your facilities." "Who's gonna run those minds and facilities?" "Whoever the hell they hire, once they get rid of the troublemakers." "Life is cheap, but since the war started," "Tarium is up 200%." "Do the math." "Did you finish reconfiguring the infirmary's database?" "Android, did you hear me?" "Yes." "That operation has been completed." " Are you okay?" " I was in the process of adjusting how my sub-net categorizes and stores my memories." "Is the upgrade causing problems again?" "I thought I cleaned up that code," " but I can take another look." " That won't be necessary." "Everything is working as it should." "Well, whenever you're done, I'm all set up in my quarters." "Set up?" "Yeah." "You said you wanted me to do your hair, try something new." "Oh." "Of course." "Are you sure you're okay?" "You seem a little off." "I'm fine, Five." "But thanks for asking." "I'll see you later when I'm done." "All right." "See ya later." " Six?" "Over." " Yeah?" "You on your way?" "We're all here..." " except you and Wren." " Where is he?" "How the hell should I know?" "Wren, you there?" "Wren, are you on your way?" "All right." "I'll go get him." "Yeah." "Is it really necessary?" "Necessary?" "Nah." "It's kinda cool, though, huh?" "I'm talking about the fact that you're keeping us under guard." "It's for your own protection." "Do you expect us to believe that?" "One of your buddies just got killed." "Any one of you could be next." "And having a known murderer hold us at gunpoint is supposed to make us feel better?" "I didn't kill anyone." "Not recently." "Come in." "Hey... you find anything?" "Nothing useful on the surveillance cameras." " What about the weapon?" " The Android checked." "No DNA, no fingerprints." "Any reason you can think of why one of them would want this guy dead?" "I don't know." "I mean, they been squabbling" " since day one, but..." " Wait." "Didn't you tell me one of them was fighting for reconciliation with Ferrous?" "Yeah, but that's a reason to vote him down, not put a knife in his back." "They're not diplomats." "They've had to fight for every scrap they ever had." "Yeah, I know." " We can't hold them." " So we're supposed to just let a murderer walk out the door?" "Better than keeping one on board." "What do I tell Wren's people?" "They'll never accept this." "So you think the colonies will be okay with you holding their delegates hostage?" "I know how hard you worked for this, and I'm sorry." "You aren't a Cop anymore." "It's outta your hands." "Hey!" "Good morning, Five." "Where were you?" "I was just fixing a faulty relay switch." "No." "Where were you last night?" "I waited for you." "Last night?" "To do your hair, remember?" "Oh." "I changed my mind." "You asked me." "You said you'd come." "I had more important matters to attend to." "I'm sorry." "Once you reach the station, take separate transport ships out." "Do not contact anyone till you're en route." "Now, before you go, I just wanted to say this." "One of you may have just caused your colonies their best shot at survival." "I hope I'm wrong, but either way, you're gonna have to work long and hard to get past this, and I wish you luck... 'cause I'm done with you all." "Android, we are having a problem with the airlock door." "Android, are you detecting any power issues?" "Android, do you read?" "Hey, something weird's going on with my computer." "The system's... not working." "I checked the..." "What was that?" "Five, your signal..." "Hello?" "Five, come in." "Six." "Three?" " Oh, man." " All right." "Let's get everyone back to the mess." " Why?" "What's going on?" " Just move." "Sarah?" "Welcome, your Excellency." "It's nice to be back." "Remember, I want them alive." "Preferably." " Why isn't the ship locked down?" " It's the Android's doing." "She must have initiated a series of firewalls when she detected my intrusion." "Can you get around them?" "Eventually." "Good." "Now let's get this Blink Drive." "What's your name?" "It's etched on my guns." " You wanna see 'em?" " Your name!" "Three." "Wanted to make sure we weren't dealing with another system glitch... a second reset of our neural imprints." " They were erased, remember?" " Yeah, well, stranger things" " have happened." " Yeah, we were waiting to load onto the "Marauder" and the doors wouldn't open, then coincidentally, the comms went dead." "I hate coincidences." "Yeah, well, power's out on multiple decks and corridors but not all of them." "This isn't a power failure." "This was intentional." "We need to get to the bridge." " Where's Six?" " He's taking our guests to a safe location." "Clear." "All right, grab a weapon." "Wh..." "I'd rather have a gun." "The guns stay with me." "Now, move." "Let's go." "It's gone." "They knew I was coming." " That's impossible." " Think." "Did anyone take note of your behavior or sense anything wrong?" "No, I..." "That little bitch." "Aah!" "How'd you get access to the pods?" "I had a little help." "Aah!" "Is that gunfire?" "Android." "It's okay." "What's happening?" "Sarah, what's going on?" "It's Ryo Ishida." "He's taking the ship." "How?" "The Android reactivated the transit pods." "She had weapons waiting for them." "Why would she do that?" "I don't think the Android you know is in control anymore." "We're within weapons range of the Raza." "You know why I'm here." "You think we're just gonna forget the fact that you betrayed us?" "After the coup, I could have held you prisoner, forced you to give up the drive." "Instead, I came to you and asked." "Yeah." "And then stole it when I refused." "You gave me no choice." "What choice did you give those people who died on EOS-7?" "Corporate puppets and mouthpieces." "No one mourns them." "What about Nyx?" "Do you mourn her?" "More than you'll ever know." " Then why?" " I didn't kill her!" "I didn't even know she was dead until the Android told me during your attack on my research station." "I too was betrayed by someone I trusted." "Hey." "Your Android managed to lock down several key systems before losing control, including the isolated section containing my consciousness." "She also initiated several security protocols that will automatically execute whenever any attempt is made to enact certain ship functions." "How did he get to her?" "I'm not sure." "I need to find a way to access her neural matrix." "I've got to go back." "No, you don't." "Find the girl." "Restore systems." "The Cruiser is awaiting your order." "Open up a comm link." "Colonel Strom, we've taken the ship." "Inform Zairon, then send the rest of the reinforcements." "Yes, Heika." "How the hell'd they get on board?" "Why didn't the Android detect them?" "They got to her." "What?" "She must be under their control." "She could have activated those transit pods." "That's how they got here." "You sure about that?" "About the Android?" "They had to have had help from the inside." "And given how quickly they took the ship, well..." "Let's just call it an educated guess." "Man, he is one vengeful son of a bitch." "It's not revenge he's after." "It's the Blink Drive." " No, it's both." " I don't' think so." "He sent an assassin to kill us." "To take back the Blink Drive at all costs." "Same difference." "You going soft on him now?" "He killed Nyx." "I'm not so sure about that either." "Five, it's Ryo." "I've taken the ship." "The rest of your crew are my prisoners." "And as you've probably already figured out, the Android is under my control." "You're a remarkable girl and I have no doubt you'll be able to elude my men for quite some time, and even put up quite a fight when you're eventually captured." "Make no mistake." "Sooner or later, you will be captured." "Reinforcements are already on their way." "Our... disagreement has gotten out of hand." "Fueled by misunderstandings and, I'll admit, overreactions on both sides." "Now, I'd like to offer a truce." "Give up the drive and, in return," "I will give up this ship." "I'll release you all, unharmed." "Fat chance." "We'll go our separate ways and never cross paths again." "You have my word, as the Emperor of Zairon." "What do you think?" "I think he's full of..." "Ship is registering strange power fluctuations." " What's causing them?" " I don't know." "Well, then, find out." "And then head down to meet the reinforcements." "I have one more pitch to make." "He's awake." "Come on." "What did you get us into?" "You mean by saving your lives down on that planet?" "What's your conflict with Zairon?" "What does Zairon have to do with this?" "Ryo." "Six." "It's good to see you again." "Emperor Ishida?" "We don't know what your issue is with this ship's crew and, frankly, we don't care." "This has nothing to do with us." "On the contrary." "It could have everything to do with you." "How far would you go to save your people?" "Imagine them under threat." "They turn to you but the odds seem hopeless until... you discover a piece of technology that could change everything." "What would you do to get it?" "Anything." "Now imagine you had this piece of technology, the means to save them, only to have someone take it from you." " You have this device?" " Yes?" " Give it to him." " No." "What he's not telling you is this device is incredibly powerful." "In the wrong hands, the results could be disastrous." "You're gambling with our lives." "I wanted you to understand why I had to resort to these extraordinary measures." "But your lives aren't at risk." "In fact, I'm here to offer you a deal." "What kind of deal?" "One that will help them save their people as well." "Admittance to the League of Autonomous Worlds and all of its benefits:" "Official recognition of your independent status, the backing of 27 allies." "It hasn't helped Zairon." "Ours is an internal conflict between signatories." "The rest of the League has elected to remain neutral." "But not for long." "I've heard the rumors." "Some of your former friends in the League are starting to turn against you." "They're tired of this war, and Pyr is pushing them to impose a cease-fire." "If they do, you lose half your territory." "See, he wants your support so he can continue to fight a war that he can't win." "Oh, I can win, and I will." "Once you become full members in the League, with my help, you will be free from any corporate harassment." "You think Ferrous is just gonna sit still for this?" "You let me worry about Ferrous." "Your Excellency." "What it is?" "The airlocks are in lockdown mode." "The reinforcements are unable to board." "Is this another one of the measures the Android put in place before you took over?" "No doubt." "Have the reinforcements stand down for the time being." "We need to find the girl." "It's no use." "Every time I think I've found an access point, whoever's controlling the Android locks me out." "Maybe it's not the ship we should be trying to access." " Emperor." " Yes." "I just thwarted an attempt to hack the Android." " Five." " Very clever." "She identified and then exploited the same vulnerability I used." "I told you not to underestimate her." "She's good, but I'm better." "Her intrusion left her momentarily exposed." "I know where she is, and I'm on my way to get her." " Where?" " A sublevel utility room." "On my way." "They're slipping." "I have access to some minor ship's systems..." "Temperature controls, communications." "Where are they keeping the rest of the crew?" "Two and Three are locked in an upper level storeroom." "Six and the delegates are in the mess." "The bottom line is if we join the league," "Ferrous can't touch us." "If we don't, they're gonna pick us off one by one." "This deal puts you in Ryo Ishida's debt." "It's not a place you want to be." "I know it may seem like the easy answer right now, but sooner or later, you will regret this." " Six, it's me." " Five, where are you?" "I'm safe for now." "I'm working on a plan to free you." "Ryo and his soldiers are clones." "They got on board with the help of the Android, but it's not really her." "She's been hacked." "Five, you need to wake up." "They're coming for you." "Wake up!" "Got you." "Is the Blink Drive card with her?" " Yes." " Good." "Don't hurt her." "I'm almost there." "You're a troublesome girl, aren't you?" "I want my friend back." "Your friend?" "You're referring to this Android?" "I'm taking her back." "And how're you going to do that, little one?" "Hot chocolate." "Five, I can't stop him from taking control." "You have to pull my chip." "No." "I need your help to take back the ship." " But I can't." "He's too strong." " Listen to me." "I need you to open a neural pathway, send Sarah an access code, then wipe your memory stores of this conversation." " But that won't..." " I know what I'm doing." "Okay." "What happened?" "Well... shit." "Access code is primed for trigger." " You ready?" " Yes." "You're on." "It was a latent, voice-activated command prompt she implanted, but I've scanned and scrubbed the neural matrix for any hidden viral triggers." "I'm in complete control now." "There'll be no more setbacks, I promise you." "I'll shuttle over to maintain contact while we jump to FTL." "We should reach Zairon in approximately 36 hours." "It worked." "He's trapped." "Android's back!" "Close that door." "After today, I don't want to hear any more complaining about the arsenal I have in my quarters." "We really gotta get that fixed." "Hey." "Thanks." "I'm honestly saddened that it's come to this." "What?" "You losing again?" "Losing implies a finality." "This is a temporary setback." "The Drive is damaged, probably beyond repair." " Hm." " She's not lying." "The Android and Five have been trying to fix it ever since we took it back." "Your scientists are to blame for this." "The Drive is useless now." "So then give it to me." "Maybe we should just destroy it." "End this." "Blink Drive or not, you know this won't end until one of us is dead." "I wish it wouldn't come to that." "I'm going to transfer back to Zairon now with the memories of this encounter." "Unless any of you object?" "Take this message back with you." "You come after us again, and I promise you," "I will end this." "It was actually Sarah's idea to target his consciousness." "We sent a neural feedback pulse through the connection that effectively fried his cerebellum." "So he's not dead?" "No, his mind's still intact, but it's permanently cut off from his body." "Basically, he's a prisoner inside his own head." "That seems almost cruel." "After what he did to you?" "Admittedly, it was a very unpleasant experience." "I was conscious of my actions, but unable to stop them." "Well, hopefully the colonists understand that you weren't responsible for killing their man." "But Five, I didn't kill him." "So, did you decide to take the deal?" "Not yet." "Care to come with us and try to convince the others it's a mistake?" "I've said my piece." "It's up to you now." "So that's it?" "You're just gonna walk away?" "There's only so much talking I can do." "I understand." "I'll do my best to help you." "But I think my best is when I'm aboard this ship." "The Android's trying new recipes." "This one features Kikula root." "It's only grown on Ermalla-4." "Hmm." " Cheers." " Cheers." "What do you think?" "I think there's a reason it's only grown on Ermalla-4." "I don't know." "Better than anything I had down in the colonies." "Seriously?" "I think sometimes it's just easy to forget how good we have it here." "Much worse places to be." "Yeah." "So we just got word." "12 independent colonies just applied for joint membership to the League of Autonomous Worlds." "What about Ishida?" "Less than an hour after the announcement, he launched a massive attack against Pyr, pretty much ending all hope for a ceasefire." "Well." "Like I said." "Much worse places to me." "Here, here." "Fries?" "Android, Five, how's it going down there?" "We've made several changes to the Blink Drive that I believe will overcome the damage done by the Ishida scientists." "How will we know for sure?" "First we'll run a full diagnostic, followed by a series of simulations." "If the instability persists, we should be able to detect it, long before we attempt a live test." "All right, let us know what happens." "That's it, we're ready." "I have a good feeling about this." "So far, so good." "Wait."