With their miniscule families,
humans are often forced to rely on
a "state" or a "nation" for support.
Pity them.

Than-Thre-Kull
Anthropology Text,
Approx CY 7956

[Command]

HUNT: Range to target?
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Fifty light seconds and moving away.
HUNT: Get me a heading.
HARPER: Getting. Zero four zero by minus twenty degrees.
HUNT: Maintain contact with the Castalian fleet. On my mark, come about eighty degrees. Mark.
BEKA: Mark. Mark.
HARPER: The Castalians are finally engaging the enemy.
HUNT: It's up to them now. All we can do is watch.
(Lights go out on the tactical display.)
HARPER: Aw, crap. That's one fish down. Two fish. Red fish, blue fish. It's a freaking fish fry.
ROMMIE: The Castalians aren't deploying countermeasures. They're being decimated.
TYR: This is stupid. These water breathers are hopeless. Missiles away.
(KaBOOM goes something and Hunt is annoyed.)
TYR: There now. Objective destroyed.
HUNT: Damn it, Tyr. Andromeda, report.
ROMMIE: The enemy destroyer was eliminated, but Castalian casualties are still high. Five of their ships are down, the planet was bombarded. Estimated civilian casualties, five million.
BEKA: That's a lot of sushi.
HUNT: It's not funny, Beka.
BEKA: Looked pretty darned funny from here.
HUNT: Look, if you're all finished insulting our allies, might I remind you that the point of these training exercises is to improve their morale, not destroy it.
HARPER: Look, Dylan, if you think Aquaman and the Silver Surfer here are going to help you stop the Magog, you may as well start basting yourself with steak sauce now and avoid the rush.
(Everyone looks to Beka for an explanation.)
BEKA: I don't know.
HARPER: Aquaman. Silver Surfer? Did you people ever go to school? No classical education whatsoever.
BEKA: Rommie, how many target drones did you deploy?
ROMMIE: Five. Why?
BEKA: I'm reading an unidentified object. It just threaded its way through the entire Castalian fleet.
TYR: And they didn't stop it? What a complete surprise.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen]: Dylan, the bogey reads as a modified Alacritous Missive courier vessel.
HUNT: That's a High Guard ship.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen]: And it's hailing us.
HUNT: On screen.
(A man in High Guard uniform comes up on the viewscreen.)
JAMAHL [on viewscreen]: This is Lieutenant Jamahl Rodriguez Hernandez Brown. I'm looking for Captain Dylan Hunt.
HUNT: This is Dylan Hunt.
JAMAHL [on viewscreen]: Oh, wow. Oh, wow! Broot is going to spit that I found you first! I mean, er, I'm sorry, sir!
HUNT: What is this all about, Lieutenant?
JAMAHL: I have a message for you, sir. It's from your fiancée, Sara Riley?
HUNT: My fiancée has been dead for more than two hundred years.
JAMAHL: Yes, sir. I know, sir. It's a very old message, sir. Permission to come aboard, sir? I've been out here a long time. I think the Castalians are targeting me.
HUNT: Rommie?
ROMMIE: One pilot, no passengers, defensive weapons only. He looks clean.
HUNT: Bring him in and keep him under guard. Send that message to my quarters.

[Hunt's quarters]

SARA [on screen]: Hello, Dylan. I probably shouldn't be doing this. I argued myself out of it a dozen times. But I wanted you to know I survived. And I did as you asked. I got on with my life. I got married. We have a good life
(She walks away from the camera, then turns back and cradles her pregnant belly.)
SARA: More than that. Dylan, it's bad out there. But knowing you'll be back someday to make things right helps. So I just wanted to say thank you. And if you're getting this message, then I've done my small part. Be well, Dylan. I wish you every happiness.
(End of message.)
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Do you want me to play it again?
HUNT: No, that'll be all.

[Corridor]

(Hunt meets Rommie at a junction.)
ROMMIE: She was a remarkable woman.
HUNT: Yes. She, er, she was.
ROMMIE: Rev Bem is in hydroponics. Do you want me to
HUNT: I don't need counselling, Rommie. I'm fine.
ROMMIE: You don't look fine.
HUNT: Then have Harper check your visual sensors, because that was the best message I could have gotten. I mean, after all this time I can stop worrying about her. She's okay. Was okay. You know what I mean.
ROMMIE: Of course.
HUNT: Send the, er, Lieutenant to my quarters. I have a few questions I want to ask him.

[Hunt's quarters]

JAMAHL: It's called Terazed. It's the fourth rock out from a yellow dwarf at the ass end of the Triangulum galaxy. Excuse my Vedran.
HUNT: Excused. I've never heard of Terazed.
JAMAHL: Who has? They get more visitors on Gehenna. Anyway, as far as I know, we're the last refuge of the Systems Commonwealth. We've got a conclave, Triumvirs, a Home Guard. Everything but the Vedran Empress.
HUNT: One planet coming through the chaos intact. How?
JAMAHL: It beats me. I wasn't there. But my great-great-great-great grandparents were. They were war refugees. From here, mostly.
HUNT: Survivors from the Andromeda Ascendant.
JAMAHL: And from the Starry Wisdom. And their wives and their kids and their cousins and their uncles and well, Sara Riley rounded up anybody who's ever even heard of you and settled them on Terazed. And we've been waiting for you ever since.
HOLO-ROMMIE: Waiting for him to do what?
JAMAHL: Restart the Commonwealth, of course. Sara Riley said you'd be back. And she was right.

[Command]

(Beka takes the Andromeda into slipstream.)
HUNT: Beka, status.
BEKA: This isn't a slipstream route, it's a rabbit hole. How do these people get mail?
TRANCE: Jamahl says Terazed's hard to find. It's why they've survived all this time.
(Harper enters.)
HARPER: Yeah, sure, that explains everything. No chance they've been left alone because they're a bunch of cannibals or killer robots or
TRANCE: Harper.
HARPER: What? You going to say I'm wrong? Come on. Every single High Guard remnant we've encountered has been psychotic, evil, or both. Present company excluded, of course.
HUNT: Of course.
BEKA: He has a point, Dylan. Once bitten, you know.
HARPER: I mean, I'm just saying that we shouldn't get all kissy huggy smoochy woochy just because we like the cut of their uniforms.
HUNT: Point taken. We'll go in with our eyes open, but we are going in.
(They come out of slipstream.)
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Assuming normal cruising speed. I'm detecting a Sol-like system with twelve planets. One inhabitable.
TRANCE: Er, guys? We've got company. They look like warships.
HARPER: Oh, great. I knew it. I knew it! We're surrounded. Thirty six slipfighters.
HUNT: Pull yourself together, Mister Harper.
HARPER: Oh, sure, take your time. Don't shoot at them or anything.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen]: Dylan, they're moving into formation.
HUNT: It's not an attack. It's an honour guard.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen]: Incoming message.
HUNT: On screen.
(A young Asian woman.)
RAKEL: Captain Hunt, welcome. I am Rakel Ben Tzion, first Triumvir of Terazed. We've taken the liberty of sending Argosy Squadron Alpha to escort you planetside. I hope you like marching bands.
(Transmission ends.)
HUNT: Andromeda, analysis. Is the Madame Triumvir a killer android or not?
HARPER: Who cares? What a babe.
TRANCE: Stop being so predictable.
ROMMIE: Intercepting planetary communications and analyzing. Free press. They're talking about a local election. From all evidence, Terazed seems to be exactly what it seems to be. A peaceful, productive democracy.
BEKA: Your Commonwealth.
HUNT: Take us in.

[Foyer]

(The general architectural preference is circular buildings, and therefore domed roofs. The party walk down a flight of stairs.)
BEKA: Okay, it's official. I like this place. I liked the conclave, I liked the Grand Plaza, and I really liked all those Home Guard lancers lined up for my personal inspection.
RAKEL: I'm glad you enjoyed the parade.
HUNT: Well, even the aerial displays. It was all a little overwhelming.
RAKEL: Well, if it was up to me, there would have been mintoks and elephants, but expenditures like that have to be approved by the full Council.
HUNT: Well, maybe next time, Madame Triumvir.
RAKEL: Please, call me Rakel.
HUNT: Fine. You can call me Dylan.
RAKEL: Dylan it is. Which is the furthest? The most distant world in the new Commonwealth?
HUNT: Well, distance is relative in slipstream. Why?
RAKEL: I want to go there. Do you know, I've never been off this planet?
HUNT: Well, I think we can arrange a trip.
RAKEL: Dylan, may I steal you away for a moment? Privately.
HARPER: Oh. Oh, oh, okay. Okay, this is where you, er, you get him away from us so your pals there can, er, whip out laser mind probes and crack our skulls open, huh? Am I right?
RAKEL: He's sweet. Paranoid, but sweet.
BEKA: It's, er, been a tough year.
HUNT: Yeah, my crew's used to having the other shoe drop. And frankly, so am I.
RAKEL: Dismissed.
(The guards leave.)
RAKEL: Five minutes. Draw your weapon if it makes you feel better. But there are some people I want you to meet.
HUNT: Five minutes.

[Meeting room]

RAKEL: Ladies and gentleman, it is my great privilege to present Captain Dylan Hunt. Dylan, the descendants of Sarah Riley.
(Applause.)
RAKEL: Captain, I believe you've met Lieutenant Brown?
HUNT: Yes, I have.
RAKEL: Excuse me a moment.
JAMAHL: Really the whole Andromeda Association wanted to meet you, but Madame Triumvir said that there wasn't a room big enough in the whole city.
HUNT: Jamahl, you're descended from Sara?
JAMAHL: I'm her great grandson, cubed. Nine generations, direct line.
HUNT: And all these people?
JAMAHL: These are her kids' kids' kids' kids' kids' kids. But this is nothing. You should see the Society of Starry Wisdom.
HUNT: There were that many survivors.
JAMAHL: There are survivors and the families of those who didn't make it. Lieutenant Refractions of Dawn must've had a thousand descendants, but then she was a Than.
HUNT: This is unbelievable.
JAMAHL: I just had my genealogy downloaded. Do you want to see it?
HUNT: Yes. Yes, I would like that.
RAKEL: Lieutenant, are you monopolising the guest of honour?
JAMAHL: No, ma'am. At least I didn't think that I was.
RHADE [OC]: Madame Triumvir.
(A familiar face steps forward, and Hunt has flashbacks to that fateful fight on Andromeda 300 years ago.)

[Command - memory]

HUNT: Rhade!
GAHERIS: I tried to warn you.

[Meeting room]

RHADE: I hate to barge in on such a historic event, but I couldn't get away from my staff meeting.
RAKEL: Not at all, Admiral. Dylan, this is the commander of Terazed's Home Guard, Admiral Telemachus Rhade.
HUNT: Rhade.
RHADE: Captain. It's an honour.

[Hunt's quarters]

(Hunt compares a photograph of himself and Gaheris with a PADD image of Telemachus.)
HUNT: I've heard of Nietzschean genetic reincarnation. I've just never seen a documented case.
TYR: It's quite rare, but it does happen. My own father had almost identical DNA to a Kodiak Alpha, Suleiman. And according to legend, one day Drago Museveni himself will be reincarnated and reunite the Nietzschean people.
HUNT: Come on, Tyr, what are the odds? My own first officer reincarnated on a planet settled by my fiancée?
ANDROMEDA [OC]: The chance of a specific human DNA combination reoccurring is approximately one in three times ten to the fifteenth power.
TYR: Telemachus Rhade isn't just any human. He's the product of sixteen centuries of selective breeding.
HUNT: Homo sapiens invictus have the same number of chromosomes as unmodified homo sapiens.
TYR: Yes, but a smaller sampling. No Nietzschean carries the gene for astigmatism, acromegaly, arterial sclerosis. You combine that with extensive safeguards against mutation and what you've got is
HUNT: And the odds are still in the trillions.
TYR: It's a big universe.
HUNT: Yeah, and a bigger coincidence. You know, I don't trust coincidences especially ones named Rhade.
TYR: You should never trust any Nietzschean. Except me.

[Command]

BEM: And while the Vedran Empress was the System Commonwealth's titular ruler, actual authority was exercised by three elected Triumvirs, which is still the case in Terazed today. But, as with the original Commonwealth, the Triumvir's power was not absolute. The people also elected a tricameral legislative body called a Conclave. That is why there must be a general election if Terazed is going to sign Dylan's charter.
HARPER: Yeesh. Give me a nice simple dictatorship any day. Then, at least when things go wrong, you know who to hang.
TRANCE: You're just saying that because you've never lived in a democracy. I think free elections sound like fun.
HARPER: Please! There is no such thing as a free election. Inexpensive, maybe, occasionally. But free? Never.
TRANCE: Harper, you're so
HARPER: Cynical? Jaded? Realistic?
TRANCE: No, I was going to say cute when you're paranoid.
HARPER: Wait a minute. That's a compliment. You're trying to distract me. You know how this election's going to turn out, don't you, Trance? Come on, spill it.
TRANCE: Everyone knows how the election's going to turn out. It's a slam dunk.
BEM: They've been waiting generations to rejoin the Commonwealth. I can't imagine the plebiscite going against Dylan.
HARPER: Yeah? Well there's nothing wrong with a little insurance. I say I jack into their VR matrix and, er, rig a few tallies. Stuff some ballot boxes. Hey, it is a time-honoured system. It's an integral part of the democracies I've read about.
TRANCE: Oh.
HARPER: Fine. Fine. But I would have made a great king.

[Corridor]

RAKEL: It doesn't have to be a long speech. You wouldn't have to write it yourself. I have people for that sort of thing.
HUNT: Would your people really care what I have to say? I'm just a stranger here.
RAKEL: You're much more than that, Dylan. You're a legend. And, er, if I may be so bold, an extremely charismatic and attractive individual. Who better to champion this referendum?
HUNT: Why do we even need to do this? I thought the outcome was assured.
RAKEL: The truth is, there's a strong isolationist movement on Terazed. We have a good life here, and some people don't want to send their sons and daughters away to die in your war.
HUNT: Well, then the war will come to them.
RAKEL: Then you have to tell them that, Dylan. Because right now the election is too close to call and I could use your help.

[Foyer]

(Hunt leaves a room to cheers and applause.)
RHADE: Nicely done, Captain Hunt. Your speech was very impressive.
HUNT: Thank you. I'm, er, not much of a politician. I'm just a soldier.
RHADE: Don't underestimate your powers as a leader. Do you have a moment?

[Hydroponics - memory]

(Hunt is shooting hoops.)
GAHERIS: Do you have a moment?
HUNT: For my best man? Always.
GAHERIS: About that. There must be better candidates.
HUNT: Excuse me?
GAHERIS: What about Refractions of Dawn?
HUNT: Best man? Best insectoid hermaphrodite. You know, it just doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it? Look, there is no one on this ship. Hell, there's no one in the known worlds that I trust more. I want you at my side at my wedding. Think you can take me?
GAHERIS: Magog.
(Hunt looks away. Gaheris scores a basket.)
GAHERIS: Yes.
(Gaheris Rhade leaves.)
HUNT: Yeah, best insectoid hermaphrodite sounds a lot better.

[Command - memory]

REFRACTIONS: Commander?
(Gaheris kills Refractions of Dawn, then the shooting starts properly.)
HUNT: Rhade!
RHADE: I tried to warn you.

[Rhade's office]

RHADE: Dylan. I asked if you wanted a drink.
HUNT: I suspect you wanted to ask me something else.
RHADE: My ancestor, Gaheris Rhade. Here on Terazed he's something of a hero, you know. A loyal Commonwealth officer, dead in that first terrible battle.
HUNT: I lost a lot of good people that day.
RHADE: The Nietzscheans tell a different story. That he betrayed the Commonwealth. That he was a spy who served a key role in the Nietzschean rebellion. You're the only person alive who knows the truth.
HUNT: You know, I, er, I think I'll take that drink.
RHADE: You were there. At least tell me what happened. Tell me what he did.
HUNT: He tried to warn me. For what it's worth, he tried to warn me about the rebellion, and by the time I listened it was too late.
RHADE: So he was a hero after all. That means a lot to me. Thank you. I just wish we weren't on opposite sides.
HUNT: Opposite sides of what?
RHADE: I thought you knew. I'm opposed to the Commonwealth referendum.
HUNT: But you are Commonwealth. All of you. Terazed has been waiting for this day for three hundred years.
RHADE: And we're still here after three hundred years, because we haven't let the chaos out there touch us. Because no one knows we exist.
HUNT: For now. But that will change sooner or later.
RHADE: The later the better, as far as I'm concerned. You have powerful enemies, Captain.
HUNT: So do you, Admiral. The Magog are coming. You can't deny them out of existence.
RHADE: No, but I can keep us out of their crosshairs. I'm sorry. It's my duty to protect Terazed and I'm not going to let anyone compromise that.

[Corridor]

ROMMIE: You should see the armaments they have stockpiled. Dozens of shrike fighters just sitting in hangars. Janus light attack drones, Oracles, Centaurs. But you know what it is that I really want?
TYR: An avatar unencumbered by cleavage?
ROMMIE: A real crew. I used to have eight hundred lancers stationed on me.
HUNT: Yes, and I can imagine the eavesdropping potential.
ROMMIE: I never eavesdrop. I monitor. For security purposes. And besides. Oh no.
HUNT: What is it?
HOLO-ROMMIE: The election results just came in.
ROMMIE: Dylan, they voted against your restored Commonwealth. We lost.
HUNT: That's just great.

[Corridor]

(Slipfighters escort the Triumvir's shuttle to the Andromeda.)
RAKEL: You can't just leave. My people need you.
HUNT: Well, that's not what they said yesterday.
RAKEL: They were misled. Misinformed. You can talk to them.
HUNT: I already did. I don't have any more time to waste here.
RAKEL: Dylan, you're not wasting your time. I promise. I can call another election.
HUNT: Yeah, in a year. I read your constitution. Your hands are tied.
RAKEL: Not necessarily. I can declare a planetary emergency.
HUNT: Under what cause? Rakel, I appreciate your efforts, but I have three years to build an alliance against the Magog. When things start to get serious, your people will change their minds.
RAKEL: Please. A day or two that's all I need. Don't give up on us now. Talk to him. Talk to Rhade.

[Hydroponics]

(Hunt is taking out his frustration on the hoop.)
BEM: I didn't realize this basketball was so violent. Perhaps there is a more productive way to express your disappointment.
HUNT: Give it up, Rev. I'm not going to talk to him.
BEM: Why? Because Telemachus Rhade's great-great-great grandfather betrayed you?
HUNT: No! Because Telemachus betrayed me. He broadsided me by campaigning against the restored Commonwealth. Rev, you know what? I'm getting a little tired of being stabbed in the back by Rhades.
BEM: Perhaps. But maybe you should try to see things through his eyes.
HUNT: Oh, please.
BEM: Telemachus Rhade was wounded twice defending Terazed against Kalderan raiders.
HUNT: Well, you know, then maybe I should give him a call, huh?
BEM: Dylan, one of those raids resulted in the deaths of thousands of people. The isolationists are not evil. They are merely afraid.
(Alarms sound.)
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Code Blue. All hands report to Command. Magog swarm ships have been sighted in the outer system.
HUNT: You have got to be kidding.

[Command]

HUNT: Andromeda, report.
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Four unknown targets with rad signatures identical to Magog swarm ships.
BEKA: Terazed's sensor satellites just picked them up doing a fly-by of the fifth planet in the system, but the data's already nine minutes old.
HARPER: Hello, Fate, God, whoever. I just want to officially note it on my personal record that, er, mentally, I am not ready for another round of Magog a Go Go.
TYR: Focus, Harper. Nothing's buried itself in our hull yet.
HARPER: Yet. Three little letters, so much pain.
HUNT: Trance, get the Home Guard commander on screen.
TRANCE: Getting.
(Telemachus appears on the viewscreen.)
HUNT: Admiral, there are four Magog swarm ships in the outer system.
RHADE [on viewscreen]: I know. You led them right to us.
HUNT: A, that is not true, and B, We can point fingers later.
RHADE: Right now, I'm launching everything we've got, and it's not going to be enough. I need your help.
HUNT: That's why we're still here.
RHADE: I'm transferring Triumvir's Honour Guard to your command. Ships and lancers. Good luck.
(Transmission ends.)
HUNT: Beka, best speed to the outer system. Tell the Triumvir's fighters to
RAKEL: Captain, what's going on? My pilots
HUNT: Your pilots are responding to a military emergency, and if you've got a problem with that you can get off my Command Centre.

[Corridor]

(Men running.)
ANDROMEDA: Attention. Attention. All hands report to battle stations. Battle stations. Battle stations. All hands report to battle stations. Prepare to repel boarders.

[Command]

HUNT: You. Assist on fire control.
RAKEL: What are you doing? He's in my Honour Guard.
HUNT: Your troops are training on the High Guard simulators. It's time to put that training to use. Unless, of course, you wanted to invite the Magog in for dinner?
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Eighty light seconds, Captain.
HUNT: Deploy fighters.
TYR: Understood.
TRANCE: Aye, aye.

[Slipfighter]

JAMAHL: Here we go, baby. This is the one.

[Command]

RAKEL: You can't just go in there blasting. What about casualties?
TYR: Magog casualties?
RAKEL: Our casualties. Those boys out there.
HUNT: They're Guardsmen. This is what they do.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen]: Captain, the swarm ships appear to be moving off.
TRANCE: Vectoring away three one two degrees.
BEKA: Magog scampering? That's too easy.
HARPER: Hey, I like gift horses.
HUNT: Full sensor scan. Break it off. We're standing down.
BEKA: What? Are you serious?
HARPER: Come on. At least let's blow one up.
HUNT: They're leaving.
BEKA: Standing down.
TRANCE: Dylan, one of the fighters is pealing off. It's chasing the Magog.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen]: And it's hailing us.
JAMAHL [on viewscreen]: Lieutenant Brown reporting. I've engaged the enemy, sir.
HUNT: Return to the Andromeda, Jamahl. We're breaking off pursuit.
JAMAHL [on viewscreen]: I can take them, Captain. Just give me the word.
HUNT: The word is no.

[Slipfighter]

JAMAHL: I'm not some outworld hick.

[Command]

JAMAHL [on viewscreen]: I'm the one who found you, remember?
HUNT: I said stand down. Do you copy, Lieutenant?
(Transmission ends.)
HUNT: Tyr, I want covering fire. Point defence lasers. Andromeda, plot an intercept course. Harper, bucky cables at the ready.
(Jamahl fires at the fleeing ship, eventually blowing it up. He flies towards the wreckage.)
BEKA: Nice shot, kid.
HARPER: Uh oh. He's headed straight for that piece of junk.
BEKA: Jamahl? Pull up. Reverse thrusters.
TYR: Amateur.

[Slipfighter]

(Jamahl hits the wreckage.)
JAMAHL: Andromeda.

[Command]

JAMAHL [OC]: Andromeda, do you read me? My condition's critical.
RAKEL: Get him back now.
HUNT: That is our objective.
BEKA: He's in an uncontrolled spin.
ANDROMEDA [OC]: We're within five hundred thousand kilometres of the slipfighter.
HUNT: Launch harpoon.
BEKA: He's losing it.
(Jamahl screams. KaBOOM.)
TRANCE: Gone. He's gone.
HUNT: Beka, get us out of here. Trance, take the Triumvir back to guest quarters, please.
RAKEL: But I. Thank you. I'm sorry.
(Rakel and Trance leave.)
HUNT: Andromeda, I want a full analysis of that debris. Electromagnetic, spectrographic. Hell, get me a breathalyzer test on its pilot.
HARPER: What's up, boss?
HUNT: Swarm ships come out of nowhere, do nothing, then leave for no reason? Magog don't sightsee.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen]: Dylan, those swarm ships. The rad signature was correct, but the one Lieutenant Brown destroyed, it had no pilot. Also, no slip drive and no weapons.
BEKA: A drone.
HUNT: No. It's a dummy.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen]: There's more. Analysis of the debris indicates the vessel was constructed in the local star system. That attack didn't come from the Magog Worldship. It was launched from Terazed itself.
(In orbit of Terazed.)
HUNT: You sure about that?
HARPER: I've checked and rechecked and double rechecked the trajectories, and the Magog swarm ships came from Argosy Station Terazed.
BEKA: The Home Guard's command centre.
ROMMIE: And Telemachus Rhade's home base.
HUNT: Have Triumvir Ben Tzion meet me in my quarters immediately.

[Hunt's quarters]

RAKEL: That poor child. He was one of Sarah's.
HUNT: Yes, I know.
RAKEL: Maybe Telemachus was right. It is too dangerous. Maybe I should just let him take over.
HUNT: Let him take over? Rakel, what's going on here?
RAKEL: Something's happening down on Terazed. I can't reach the High Council. Second Triumvir Cooper is in conference. Cooper never confers with anyone.
HUNT: Andromeda?
HOLO-ROMMIE: Communications channels to Terazed are still open, but none of the government offices are responding.
HUNT: Communications freeze.
RAKEL: My sources on the ground tell me they're mobilizing the Home Guard. There are troops on the street in the capital.
HUNT: So you're saying Telemachus faked that attack so he'd have a reason to mobilise his troops.
HOLO-ROMMIE: And now he's mounting a military coup.
RAKEL: This is my fault. I should have been ready for this. But I didn't want to believe the reports.
HUNT: What reports?
RAKEL: My operations department intercepted a number of coded transmissions from Telemachus's secured line, including one right before the fake Magog attack.
HUNT: Launch commands.
RAKEL: I can't believe Rhade would do something like this. He's loyal as a dog.
HUNT: Yeah, maybe.
(Later, Rakel has left.)
HUNT: Troops in the street, the Triumvirate held incommunicado. Gaheris Rhade destroyed the Commonwealth once. I'm not going to stand by and watch another Rhade destroy it all over again.
ROMMIE: So, what are you going to do?
HUNT: The same thing General Sani nax Rifati did six thousand years ago. I'm going to get the military out of the republic. Time to give Telemachus Rhade a little history lesson.

[Command - memory]

HUNT: I told you before. Pessimism is not a survival trait.
(The final shots as time slows. Hunt kills Gaheris.)

[Hunt's quarters]

HOLO-ROMMIE: Dylan, incoming message from Admiral Rhade.
HUNT: On my way.

[Command]

HUNT: Andromeda, on screen.
RHADE [on viewscreen]: We have to talk.
HUNT: I would call that an understatement. What the hell's going on down there? You've got troops in the conclave.
RHADE [on viewscreen]: I can explain everything. Let me come on board.
TYR: You and the Third Lancer Regiment? Not likely.
HUNT: I can't argue with Mister Anasazi.
RHADE: No lancers, Dylan. Just the two of us.
HUNT: Andromeda, hold transmission.
ANDROMEDA: Transmission held.
(The viewscreen goes to an image of the planet.)
TYR: If we can manage to bring him up
HUNT: Clear the deck.
BEKA: Dylan, no offence, but
HUNT: I know what I'm doing.
TYR: I strongly doubt that.
RAKEL: Let me stay. Maybe he'll listen to his Triumvir.
HUNT: This isn't a debate. I have questions and I'm going to get answers. Now get off my deck!
(Everyone leaves.)
HUNT: Andromeda, activate screen.
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Transmission reestablished.
HUNT: Admiral, about that meeting you wanted permission granted.
(Later -)
HUNT: Status.
HOLO-ROMMIE: He's outside the door, Dylan. And he's alone.
HUNT: Is he armed?
HOLO-ROMMIE: One High Guard forcelance.
HUNT: Let him in. Initiate privacy mode.
HOLO-ROMMIE: But Dylan
HUNT: Don't start with me.
(Holo-Rommie leaves. Rhade enters.)
RHADE: I understand why you did it, Dylan. Believe me, I do.
HUNT: You've got this all wrong.
RHADE: Do I? I know how important that election was to you.
HUNT: You know, last I looked, I wasn't the one with troops in the streets.
RHADE: Is that how you want to play this?
HUNT: I am not playing at anything.
RHADE: Neither am I.
(Rhade draws his forcelance and starts shooting, just like 300 years ago. Hunt returns fire.)
HUNT: Rhade! Listen to me!
(This time, Rhade lands on the floor and does not get up again until Hunt is standing over him having a flashback. Then he leaps up and kicks the forcelance out of Hunt's hand and they go hand to hand. It ends up with Hunt on his back and Rhade's bone blades at his throat. Hunt sees his forcelance out of the corner of his eye, and goes for it. Rhade retrieves his weapon, too. Standoff. Hunt lowers his weapon first.)
RHADE: You could have killed me. You didn't. Why not?
HUNT: The same reason you didn't kill me. Because we both know who the real criminal is.

[Corridor]

HUNT: Ceremonial visits to the shipyard, coded transmissions on her private line, and cargo manifests in her brother's name.
RHADE: If the information your AI uncovered is true, she's been planning this for months.
HUNT: She knew that her scouts would locate me eventually and bring me to Terazed, knew that there would be a referendum.
RHADE: And instituted a contingency plan in case it didn't go her way. She's a bright woman. I admire her.
HUNT: Think you can verify this evidence independently?
RHADE: Terazed is cursed with free press. It's hard to hide things. It's harder to fake them.
HUNT: Rommie could falsify data like this easily. Hell, if I wanted to, I could make it look like you were behind the whole thing.
RHADE: And then you'd get everything you wanted, wouldn't you? The isolationists would be disgraced. There'd be a new election. Terazed would join the new Commonwealth.
HUNT: And you'd go to prison.
RHADE: As cost benefit ratios go, it's got a lot to recommend it.
HUNT: Betray an innocent man, gain the world, and lose. Lose what, Mister Rhade?
RHADE: It's what I would do.
HUNT: All right, let's end this.

[Cargo hold]

(Hunt and Rhade fight Rakel's guards, hand to hand.)
RHADE: Triumvir Ben Tzion, you're under arrest.
RAKEL: Dylan, please. We want the same thing.
HUNT: No, we don't.

[Observation deck]

(Hunt hands a Commonwealth flag to Jamahl's father.)
BEM: Eternal life grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him.
(The Triumvir's shuttle is escorted away.)
RHADE: I think I finally understand what happened to my ancestor.
HUNT: Good. So do I.

[Hunt's quarters - memory]

HUNT: And tell your Aunt Connie it is fine with me if she wants to give you away, but I am not going to salute her if she insists on wearing pink taffeta. And I (doorbell) Come.
(Gaheris Rhade enters.)
RHADE: About this best man job.
HUNT: Yes?
RHADE: Does it always involve drunken bachelor parties and half-naked dancing girls?
HUNT: Pretty much, yeah.
RHADE: Hmm. In that case, I accept.
HUNT: Good. I'm glad.
RHADE: Thank you, Dylan. It's an honour to serve with you. And an honour to be your friend.

[Command]

HUNT: Did I do the right thing, Rommie? Throwing it all away like that.
ROMMIE: You mean by arresting Rakel Ben Tzion instead of Telemachus Rhade.
HUNT: Yeah.
ROMMIE: I try not to dwell on what's right and what's wrong. It slows my processors. Still, one innocent man convicted, one guilty woman set free, in exchange for a fleet, a crew, the ability to protect Terazed and a thousand other worlds from a genuine horror.
HUNT: One act of betrayal to save the universe. It seems a small price to pay, doesn't it?

[Corridor]

TYR: I see we're leaving Terazed.
HUNT: Yeah, for now, but they'll have new elections next year and by then the Magog Worldship will be that much closer.
BEKA: And the voters will be highly motivated to endorse Commonwealth membership.
TYR: You trust Admiral Rhade to hold down the fort in the interim?
HUNT: Absolutely.

[Hunt's quarters]

SARA [on screen]: Be well, Dylan.
HUNT: I'm doing my best, Sarah. I'm doing my best.