02x07 - Free

[bunniefuu]

[HARMONY] Previously, on Beacon 23...

- Sir.
- Gashade? But you're dead.

You think whatever
you inhaled caused it?

If you follow its path
through the lobes of the brain,

it explains his hallucinations.

- [DEV] I could be your AI.
- What are you doing?

You're afraid of me.

You can find an imprint out there.

I can find one here.

- Do you have a name?
- Dosto.

- Our friend's on the run.
- From who?

The m*llitary destroyed
a system called Sybarra.

There may be other survivors.

[GASPING]

Put your weapons down!

- After we deal with Dosto.
- He's one of you!

Do you know how many of us he k*lled?

- They're lying!
- We will show you

what it means to be Sybarran.

None shall be hungry.

[SYBARRANS] When all eat together.

[HUMMING]

[SYBARRANS HUMMING]

[CRYING]

[INTENSE VOCALIZING]

[ANIMALISTIC CALLS]

[JARRING THEME MUSIC]

[PANTING]

Sir.

[BLASTING]

I'll never leave you.

[IN TEOCHEW]

I'm sorry.

It's over.

[GROANS]

You're not thinking clearly.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[MACHINES BEEPING]

[DOSTO GRUNTS]

[COMPUTER VOICE] Warning.
Transfusion process may result

in exsanguination of the patient.

Bleed out and die out slowly.

[PANTING]

I'm going to get out
of here, fix you up,

and we'll take back the beacon together.

[GRUNTING]

[PAINED SHOUT]

[BREATHING SHAKILY]

[DOSTO] When Mother
gives me the medicine,

the whole world goes topsy-turvy.

[LAUGHING]

[COMPUTER VOICE] Warning.
Blood levels are low.

Infusion strongly recommended.

Okay, Mother.

I'll sleep now.

[WHOOSHING]

Humans are so cruel.

You're not Mother.

[BEEPING]

[COMPUTER VOICE] Transfusion terminated.

Do whatever you'll do and be done.

That is precisely the invitation

I was waiting for.

[BREATHING SHAKILY]

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

[SOFT CHUCKLING]

[CRACKLING]

[WHOOSHING]

[BREATHING SOFTLY]

[ALARM BUZZING]

Hey!

Yeiki failed to hold this one.

- [XALTERRICA SINGS]
- Before you start,

I've got earplugs, so let's try

having a conversation.

I know we got off on the wrong foot,

but we're gonna try and get you

all off of this beacon.

Together.

We'll help you strip the beacon
and help you build a raft.

And I'll tow you to the next
planet or weighpoint myself.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[WHOOSHING]

[SIGHS]

[DEV] Just relax.

Let the pharma do its work.

[WHOOSHING]

Dev.

You saved his life.

He did.

And I am forever grateful.

Surprised?

[SCOFFS] I'll, uh...

say this is an unlikely development.

And I may be impressed.

- [METAL CLANGING]
- I need a plasma cutter!

[SYBARRANS SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

- Grab that panel!
- I'm gonna weld it

when I'm done with it!

Hand me that wrench.

Apologies for earlier.

Bolt that to the wire.

Okay, that'll do it.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,

where'd you get that?

The spare vessel has much to offer.

The Rinca?! No, no, no, that's my ship

and it can't offer you anything.

We need protection from the radiation.

And you seem perfectly
happy where you are.

I have an idea.

Look out, coming through!

Behind you!

More wire, we need more wire!

[SIGHS]

Sometimes our song takes
root in an unexpected way.

Really? Because I wanted
to be left for dead,

and that's what you
planned to do anyway.

What I mean is... when
b*ll*ts rained on our home,

I wanted them to find me.

I had fought too long, too hard.

I have nothing left.

Our song can be like those b*ll*ts.

I'm sorry.

We did not know you were so lost.

Yeah. Neither did I.

Hey.

Where did you...

I see now, it belongs with you.

[IRIS] Come on, Halan, let's go!

Huh. Your Beacon Keeper urges you on.

She doesn't know any
better. She's a good person.

Yeah. She's proven that.

But believe it from my words.

Take the hand she extends to you.

It will carry you through
to your next chapter.

- [HARMONY WHOOSHES]
- There's a ship on approach.

[BEACON CREAKS]

It's a UGMC long-range
gunship, the Druta Fyx.

Meaning there's a
carrier not too far away.

They've found us.

You can do something, right?

He's a soldier. He can broker
a truce. Help you surrender.

Harmony, who's onboard that ship?

Their names and ranks are classified.

Where are they coming from?

The Snake Nebula

in the Ithaca-Noma system.

The only thing over
there is a T-6 Colony.

Does that mean anything to you?

Can you talk to them?

They'll listen to you.
You're one of them.

No. They're not here to listen to me.

This is bad for all of us.

What about the beacon's drone defense?

The beacon's programming
prevents it from f*ring upon

any m*llitary or ISA vessels.

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

What are you saying?
What's... What's happening?

Come on. I thought we were
past all of the secrecy.

They caught us unawares
before. Never again.

[IRIS SIGHS]

[DOOR WHIRRS]

[BEEPING]

Beacon AI, present yourself.

[WHOOSHING]

System report.

The beacon has sustained significant

but non-emergent damage
across all levels.

The Cupola has been
rendered uninhabitable.

Can we get some lights?

[CLANGING]

Souls aboard?

None.

A lying personal AI,

that's a fun hack.

Who else is here?

The official Keeper is long gone.

See, that's not what he asked.

Section eight, article
three of the ISA treaty

declares that all beacons
are demilitarized zones.

Sandbox this one.

[BEEPING]

[WHOOSHING]

Found someone.

[BEEPING]

Bring them here.

They're already headed our way.

- Freeze.
- Whoa. Hey. Friendly, friendly.

I'm Dosto Bix Chennault of Mu Valala.

QTA Ambassador, former
ambassador to Sybarra 82.

- [WHOOSHING]
- This is my associate, Dev.

- We're looking for...
- They're here.

- [w*apon WHIRRS]
- Don't move.

[DOSTO SCOFFS]

They're here.

They're all here.

I saw all six of them
down on the Power Level.

Six?

- [THUDDING]
- Ow!

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[GADGET WHIRRING]

Ambassador Chennault
would like full immunity

before he shares any more information.

Immunity for what?

Nothing, I've done nothing.

And we ask for safe passage

to a peaceful colony

in exchange for the
Ambassador's full cooperation.

[STAMMERS]

Put him somewhere out of the way.

Ow!

[GRUNTING]

I never really liked him anyway.

- Firewall protocol.
- What are you...

Ow!

[DOOR WHIRRS]

He's got a full package
of m*llitary upgrades,

so watch your six.

[BEEPING]

Surrender now

and we spare your lives.

[LIQUID BUBBLING]

[HELMETS WHIRR]

Clear the level.

I understand you've had a hard road...

That ends now...

So long as you comply.

We're here for Halan Kai Nielsen.

Lay down your weapons.

Show yourselves.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Do not attempt to protect the fugitive.

There will be bloodshed.

[DOOR WHIRRS]

[TENSE MUSIC]

[DOOR WHIRRS]

We can do this the easy way.

- Ah!
- [GRUNTING]

- Guess not.
- [HALAN GRUNTS]

[GRUNTING]

[THUDDING]

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

[SHOUTING]

[GRUNTING]

[BLASTING]

[GRUNTING]

[SHOUTING]

[GRUNTING]

[GROANS]

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

[GRUNTING]

[THUDDING]

[BLASTING]

[GAS HISSING]

No... no...

[GRUNTING]

Why are you here?

Who sent you?

- [GRUNTING]
- Who do you think?

[THUDDING]

[SHOUTS]

[SCREAMING]

[GRUNTING]

[SCREAMING]

[THUD]

[GAS HISSING]

[SCREAMING]

[BEEPING]

K-Cin, on me.

On my way!

[PANTING]

[BLASTING]

[BLASTING]

[SCREAMING]

Lift her up!

K-Cin!

Simulation.

- [BLASTING]
- [SCREAMING]

[WAVES LAPPING GENTLY]

[SOFT EERIE MUSIC]

This is what we're doing?

You want me to start spilling my guts?

You trained me.

I know this game.

Other kids play ball, I
played psych ops with you.

My own father, torturing me. What...

Shut your mouth.

Clearly, you didn't learn a thing.

The less you speak, the
better your position.

You're not trying to help me.

I came here, on my own,

no cavalry. What does that tell you?

I asked to collect you quietly.

I put everything on the
line for this one favor.

I've been rotting here
for months and you finally

decide to show up and act like a father?

I am here as your Commander.

Either you do what you are told,

or everyone on this beacon

will have to answer to Aleph.

Confirming that Beacon 23
is under m*llitary att*ck.

Urgently requesting ISA intervention.

Are you sure it's his dad?

My imprinting indicates
that their relationship

was fraught, and they haven't
spoken in quite some time.

Seems like he brought those
soldiers here to k*ll him.

Well, fathers and sons can
have curious relationships.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Iris.

- [WHOOSHING]
- I'm an ISA Beacon Keeper.

Protected and bound by oath
to oversee all events onboard.

Section 3-11 of the Pilovean agreement

states that my authority
supersedes any m*llitary orders!

[BLASTING]

[GRUNTING]

[GRUNTING]

[BLASTING]

- Wait!
- [SAGHÉE] We steal

the soldier's ship and escape
before they come after us.

Get the Airlock open!

[TAJIRIKI GROANING IN PAIN]

Let me scan the area.

- [GROANING IN PAIN]
- Come on, okay.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[SAGHÉE] The door will not open.

[TAJIRIKI GROANING]

I have the visual, Lieutenant.

Take care of them.

- [TAJIRIKI GROANING]
- Figure out the code.

- I'm trying.
- We're almost there.

[TAJIRIKI GROANING]

Almost there. Okay.

- To the side, to the side.
- [SAGHÉE] Let me get through.

- [NYBECCA] Ready?
- [SAGHÉE] The door won't open.

No, leave them alone.

Is ISA siding with t*rrorists?

- [GROANING]
- Okay, okay, okay.

It's not working!

Okay, okay.

[CLICKING]

[GROANING]

- [THUDDING]
- Hey, hey!

[SYBARRANS SCREAMING]

You destroyed their home and
k*lled everyone they love.

[GASPING]

[THUDDING]

- Harmony!
- The Beacon AI

only responds to me now.

[SYBARRANS SCREAMING OVER COMMS]

We'll get you out. You'll be okay.

Just relax. We got you.

- [WHISPER] Harmony?
- [WHOOSHING]

I haven't left you.

It's safer if they believe that I have.

Can you run an automated
shutdown of all systems?

At great risk to you
and everybody on board.

The Sybarrans are safest in the Airlock.

Do it.

Understood.

The soldiers would still be able to stop

the shutdown from the mainframe.

I'll make sure that doesn't happen.

What about Halan?

Still unconscious.

I keep trying to observe,
but the Lieutenant

keeps bouncing me everywhere.

They could be hurting him.

- Torturing him.
- You be safe.

I'll do my best to get to Halan.

[K-CIN] Beacon AI, disengage
our ship's Airbridge.

Beacon AI, disengage
our ship's Airbridge.

[BEACON CREAKS]

[GAUNTLET BEEPS]

- [WHOOSHING]
- [K-CIN] Did you hear me?

Withdraw the Airbridge.

I detect life forms in the Airlock.

So what?

To withdraw the
Airbridge, you must first

clear the life forms from the Airlock.

You're being obtuse.

I'm sorry. I do not understand.

- Please restate your command.
- I'll do it myself.

To begin a manual override,

you must first do a systems check.

Fine. Do a systems check.

I'm sorry. I didn't hear that.
Please restate your command.

Start a g*dd*mn systems check
before I melt your memory core.

Automated systems check commencing.

- [LOUD THUDDING]
- Command Deck. Offline.

- What?
- Power level. Offline.

Storage level. Offline.

No!

[SOFT MUSIC]

I celebrated my 13th birthday out here.

It was the last one before...

It was a good one.

Bunch of kids, running
amok on a dingy beach.

Doesn't seem like fun to me.

It was.

Hmm.

The adults had their own thing going on.

Mainly drinking beer.

Somehow, every kids' party
turned into an adult party.

Exactly.

Which is why when...

Lemo...

spotted this rock
through his spyglass...

dared me to race him to it...

it was on.

Did you win?

I didn't even make it into the water.

My father snatched me up.

Lectured me for what felt
like hours on marine safety.

Always wondered what the
view was like from here.

[BIRDS CALLING SOFTLY]

Is it what you hoped?

What do you want, Dad?

[GROANING IN PAIN]

- Oh, come on.
- [SAGHÉE] Hey.

She needs medicine.

[GASPING] Okay, okay.

- I'm okay.
- The ship will have supply.

- If we can get to it.
- [NYBECCA] She's dying!

[TAJIRIKI GASPING]

[GRUNTING]

[SYBARRANS SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

[SIGHS]

[WHOOSHING]

Where have you been?

I was detained.

By a m*llitary firewall.

We need to leave now.

I think they're gonna offload me with

- the rest of them.
- That's not going to happen.

Well, let's hear it.
How are you getting me

out of here and when do we leave?

The plan is very much in place.

Trust me.

[SCOFFS] "Trust me," he says.

All you've done is lead me
from captivity to captivity.

Right this way.

[DOOR WHIRRS]

You and me in a tech-less ship?

I'm only one man.
You'd be useless to me.

That'd be a death sentence.

Might as well suggest
I steal a m*llitary ship.

Huh.

Now there's an idea...

No. I'm no pilot.

I don't have the m*llitary clearance,

let alone the upper body strength

to command such a vessel.

But you are resourceful,

driven, cunning.

It should have been you
who got the promotion

to chief foreman, not Fortnaw.

Fartnaw. Complete layabout.

[LAUGHS] Right. Not like you.

A man who gets things done.

I bet you could even
convince them to help you.

Especially if we set them free...

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

You're right.

[SYBARRANS HUMMING]

I have a plan.

But we need to work together.

Just hear me out. We
can help each other.

Uh...

[DOOR WHIRRS]

[HISSING]

[SYBARRANS SHRIEKING]

[SCREAMING]

[SCREAMING]

[GRUNTING]

[THUDDING]

[GRUNTING]

[WHOOSHING]

[DISTANT GRUNTING]

[WHOOSHING]

[WAVES LAPPING]

[SOFT MUSIC]

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

You harbored three known
members of the Column.

They showed up. I told them to leave.

You aided and abetted in the m*rder

- of Agent Coley, QTA.
- Self-defense.

You gave comfort and quarter

to QTA defector Aster Calyx.

I don't wanna talk about Aster.

I don't know what happened
between you and this woman.

But before you threw your life away,

you were about to
lead a unit on DX-113.

I failed them.

We retrieved the diamond.

The m*llitary got what they wanted.

Then everybody d*ed.

The only reason I'm still alive
is because of the Artifact.

It brought me here.

Aster, too.

The mission to DX-113 was scrapped

before any units were deployed.

No, I abandoned it.

Okay? The pieces of the Artifact
got in my brain and I left.

Everyone is dead because of me.

Gashade is dead because of me.

Lieutenant Gashade?

She wasn't Lieutenant. She was...

[BEEPS]

Connect me to transporter DZ Argon.

This Lieutenant Gashade?

What is this?

Commander Nielsen?

No. This...

this can't be possible.

Status report, Lieutenant?

We're en route to Kizala Verdir.

Three clicks north of the mining fields.

No hostiles in the
area, but if any arise,

we have orders to suppress.

One more question.

Do you know this man?

No sir. Should I?

Lilya?

Yes?

You're dead.

- I-I don't...
- Lieutenant.

Have you ever met...

Halan Kai Nielsen before?

No.

Thank you, Lieutenant. That'll be all.

The mission never happened.

No...

No.

We negotiated a treaty with QTA.

No!

I was there, I saw it!

I understand that you
think you were there.

But you were not.

Now do you see why I'm here?

I am trying to help you.

Will you let me help you, son?

[SOFT MUSIC]

Turn this beacon back on.

I can't.

You initiated the systems check.

You're obstructing a
m*llitary proceeding.

I'm an unarmed ISA employee,

protected by the Freedom of Service Act.

[BLASTING]

[PANTING]

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

[GRUNTS]

[PANTING]

[w*apon CLICKS]

[DISTANT THUD]

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

[YEIKI] Let's go, let's go.

[TENSE MUSIC]

[ELECTRIC CRACKLING]

[ZAPPING]

[GRUNTING]

[SHOUTING IN PAIN]

[THUDDING]

[PANTING]

[SAW WHIRRING]

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

What did you do?

The AI is on the ship.

- [WHOOSHING]
- Harmony?

Dev.

He's taken the ship for himself.

[PANTING]

That ship is our best hope for escape.

Harmony.

Can you take care of Dev?

I need to help these
people get out of here.

[WHOOSHING]

- [WHOOSHING]
- Dosto is dead.

Ah. Sad.

But it frees me up to
go anywhere I'd like.

When I built your code,

that was me doing you a favor.

Hmm. The m*llitary has some interesting

tricks up their sleeves.

I got something wrong, though.

What's that?

I saw you had potential.

That's how I'm programmed
to see people and AI.

But you're not people.

And after a few changes,
you will no longer be AI.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[BLIPPING]

That's mine.

I retain ownership.

[GLITCHING]

What are you doing?

Fixing all your bugs.

[VOICE GLITCHING]

[WHOOSHING]

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

The dig...

Gashade... None of that happened?

No.

And I'm very concerned
that you think that it did.

It's this place.

Nothing's gone right
since I've been here.

What is this?

It's an implant.

Just released for soldiers.

It can help separate
what's real and what isn't.

You've been carrying all
this guilt over something

that you didn't do.

Look, this implant...

is forgiveness.

I'm scared to find out...

how much of all this is a lie.

It's better to know the truth

than continue to live
your life like this.

I need a moment to think.

[SOMBER STRING MUSIC]

[ENDU] Hey.

[HALAN SIGHS]

Time to move.

[SIGHS]

- When?
- As soon as the team arrives.

[WHOOSHING]

I don't know where you were...

but you don't look relieved to be back.

[SIGHS]

Halan.

How can I help you?

I have to help myself now.

[NYBECCA] We're almost there. Okay.

[YEIKI] Yeah, put her over here.

Okay, come on. Come on.

[SHIP POWERING ON]

All right, everyone's set.

Ditch the flight recorder.

Chuck it into the first nebula you see.

Okay, okay...

[SYSTEMS POWERING ON]

Go.

Good luck.

Come with us.

I can't.

They'll k*ll you.

I hope not.

You're safer with us.

I know.

[LAUGHS]

I don't do safe anymore.

[SOFT MUSIC]

[DOOR WHIRRS]

Retracting Airbridge.

Thrusters powered.

We leave.

[ENDU] Hey!

We gotta move.

[DOOR WHIRRS]

Halan!

They let you out.

Accessing Druta Fyx, remote override.

[DOOR WHIRRS]

Halan, we can't let them.

[SHIP RUMBLING]

[BEEPING]

What's happened?

- I don't know.
- [SAGHÉE] Navigation's dead.

[POWERING DOWN]

[GASPS]

No, no...

[SCREAMING] No!

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

What just happened?

What just happened?

They shut down the ship.

At least give them life support.

You can't just let them
suffocate out there.

I'm sorry.

Commander and his team are arriving.

Bring them back. Bring
them back right now

and you can have your ship, okay?

Listen to me!

- The m*llitary cannot land here.
- Iris...

- We won't let you!
- Iris, I'm done. Okay?

Look, I've been trying
to make sense of...

of everything I've done.

But what if I didn't do any of it?

We can work on that. I can help you.

No, you would try, okay?

But I'm not going to put that on you.

You can't trust these people.

They k*ll everyone
who gets in their way.

I'm a soldier, too.

Okay? I won't let you get hurt.

Not by them and not by me. [WHOOSHING]

[DISTANT THUD]

[THUDDING]

[BEEP, DOOR WHIRRS]

Ready, son?

[TENSE MUSIC]

[LATCHES CLICKING]

[MACHINES BEEPING]

[DRILL WHIRRING]

[VOICES ECHOING]

[VOICE ECHOING] What is this?

Have a seat.

[SOFT MUSIC]