Earth: Final Conflict s04e21 Episode Script
Dark Horizons
Previously on Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict Volunteer Marlowe was attempting sabotage Who ordered this act of treason? Answer me.
- All humans are banished from the mothership.
- This is insanity.
I shall return to the bridge in 15 minutes.
Any humans remaining will be shot on sight.
We have been able to effectively integrate the Jaridian enhancements - into our weapons array.
- Excellent.
Should the Jaridians attack, we can respond with equal force, And though, it disturbes me to think we can now annihilate an entire planet in a blink of an eye.
- I find it empowering.
Why did the ANA High Court stopped investigating Taelon's crimes? You have genetically manipulating human embryos.
Do you deny it? We were trying to advance your own evolution.
Nothing more.
We misjudged your need to advance at your own natural pace.
What about rumors that most Taelons are dead Jur'al? It's a number one topic for "openyoureyes.
com" The brethren on the mothership have all revived.
Four hundred and six Taelons.
As always you are welcome aboard to see for yourselves.
We'd better run some discreet interference.
Kevin, you and Liz work that end *** Mike cover the door.
Can we go alone Stay back please.
You told humanity you will die, now why did you suddenly revive? Please we know our recent actions seem contradictory.
- Kevin, Liz link up with me.
- Imagine our own mental duress.
We sense death by our side.
Kevin, Liz, is there anybody on the com? I copy you, Liam.
Alright, heads up Marco Kevin and Liz are asleep at the switch.
We are burdened by the recent human suffering which threatened our relationship.
This is why Da'an shall lead our forgiveness delegation to the Atlantic National Alliance.
Out the way, Let me through! Stay down.
- Is anybody hurts - It's over.
- Help will be here in a minute.
- Yes Major? Companion emergency protocol blue.
roll everything you've got to this location.
Multiple energy injuries, crash teams, full medical evac, this is no drill.
Response team on the way.
They have come to Earth with the promise of peace an alien race called the Taelons.
But there are those who resist these alien Companions.
For the Taelon's true mission, the secrets they hide will forever alter our world.
Transcription: jrzac+ Team Trad.
EFC The fate of humanity now relies on those who dare challenge the future of Earth.
Season 4 Episode 21 DARK HORIZONS Taelon Press Conference - Washington D.
C.
Yes Sir everything's clear.
What else exactly can we do? Hubble? *** for Armageddon.
Eight taelons are dead in six differents cities.
Eleven humans were caught into crossfire but the Taelons were the targets.
Sat news is calling it an ANA plot.
It's a bunch of rogue protectors who've now gone underground, probably together.
We can't find them.
I believe that I've never heard any widespread discontent.
Call it what you like.
That was a coordinated attack.
Triggered by some sort of signal at, What was the source of the signal? Jamming on the protector com link or a fail satellite, or sun spots, or black magic, we don't know.
Fill that up.
Put a couple shots of bourbon in it this time.
*** by the throat, that's a massacre.
The worst attack since the Taelons got here, They have to do something.
Zo'or has recalled all Companions to the mothership and warmed up his particule beam weapons.
So how I can help you.
Brief Planglobal security and get into the hunt.
Find the killers before the Taelons do.
Once they're on the mothership, God help them.
Liam's already up there.
Why don't you assure Zo'or once we find who did this we throw away the key.
I did that already.
And Zo'or has been very reasonable.
He hardly raise his voice when he told me he planed to incenerate me if I didn't find them in about Twenty four hours, then I will burrow a hole through this benighted planet.
The ANA is searching with everything they got.
A dead line won't make any difference Zo'or.
Then perhaps I should open fire now.
Jaridians do not kill this many of us in a decade.
I have lost Jur'al my new minister of truth and Da'an barely escaped.
I was fortunate to have Major Kincaid with me.
My refusal to give him an implant may have been prescient.
Observe the synaptic fusing.
I believe protector Walker's CVI was remotely recalibrated.
He grabbed his head in pain and screamed before he began firing.
So did Argyle and Perez.
- Their CVIs were functionnal? - Fully.
They were among the last to be implanted, and had not yet succombed to the human immune factor.
- And their motivation imperatives? - Also functionnal.
These protectors should have no choice but to guard Taelons at all costs.
That is precisely where the recalibration occured.
What about the Volunteers? Hundreds of officers have implants.
It was a different design.
From the evidence, only the more complex protector implants were affected.
Kevin Walker was my friend so are Liz Argyle and Mike Perez.
They never uttered an anti-Taelon word.
Something gave them a new imperative: to kill Tealons.
- At the same moment around the globe? - It would appear, but I can tell no more from this CVI.
It has expired.
Then we need one as you humans would say: "alive and kicking".
These friends, find them, bring one to me.
I can't believe it, my friends who I know and trust, one minute they're doing their jobs, the next they're killing anyone in sight.
Every functionnal CVI was affected worldwide I count eleven protectors who are dangerous.
- All of them have disappeared from their embassies.
- But who reprogrammed their CVIs and how? Maybe the ANA lab rats tinkered up some kind of gizmo.
I doubt it.
The ANA doesn't want all those loose canons on deck.
They're still human beings.
We need to find them before Sandoval gets to them first.
- Street can you hack into ID traffic control.
- I already tried.
If they were travelling together no problem, but they escaped in ones and twos.
Protectors are trying to travel invisibly.
We can mask our shuttles from every sensor.
We've got hidden stashes and food norms.
Here's what you wanted.
I think, it should disrupt and damper the CVI signal.
Hopefully bring them back to the real world.
After that I just hope they'll listen, turn themselves in without a fight.
Good in theory but how do we test it before we get too close? We need a working CVI right? So that means we need to find Liz and the others.
So I guess we'll know if it works when it works.
Two million law enforcement personal are in the men hunt worldwide.
Not enough! My feeling exactly.
I want the mothership Elite Guards and unlimited martial law to begin with.
Go.
Do it.
Find these people.
You do not need my permission for every flick of your finger.
Oh the killing in Washington a Protector named Margiori was on duty with major Kincaid.
Margiori didn't attack.
His implant was removed last month.
What is the status of "your" CVI agent Sandoval? You recently had it reimplanted, did you not? Only as a memory aid and to control my skrill.
Its motivational imperative has long since failed.
But, if it was functional, your motivational imperative could have been altered to kill Taelons.
It would be imprudent to trust you.
Hypothetically.
Give him an overload flux.
Why Zo'or? You have my complete loyalty.
It may be dangerous Zo'or.
If those CVI cells are still active, they will ignite in agent Sandoval's brain.
Precisely, but if they are dormant no harm done.
And agent Sandoval's personal motives as base and selfish as they may be are something I understand and can control.
Proceed.
As I said, my motivational imperative is only a memory.
Fine, stop wasting time.
Find me someone to punish.
- Yes.
- Boss, I'm in Cincinnati, Back Perez, three falls all he's.
Boss, boss if you didn't wanted him dent you should have said.
Eyes front, set a new course Take us to Kentucky.
Do you want some protein? You see peanut butter'll do in a pinch.
Full of protein, now you're a loopy! - What is this place? - It's an old slaughter house.
They make a front clean up side.
********.
We've got steam clean from top to bottom remove the dirt down six feet.
- What are you doing here? - I don't know.
Somehow I went to open a live stuck portal over the river in Kentucky.
This is as far as I got before Tate jumped me.
He used the blind travel protocol, but by then I put in a system override and was waiting for him.
Could you get me down from here? No Perez you and I worked together for I don't know 5 years on and off.
You never broke a rule I know of, and all of sudden you make turkey shoot all over a Taelon's press conference.
Why? I don't know! I don't even remember it.
Well, take me to the mothership for an intervention, you'll see.
It's not a good idea.
It seems Zo'or is on the warpath, but in a very funny mood.
Why don't you take your chance with us? I'll survive.
And you'll know I was telling the truth.
Whatever happened it wasn't my doing.
Nothing high-tech.
Maybe a 300 pounds per square inch Who're you working with? Where are they? I know this man pretty well And that's not a look I'd like to see coming along with the steam hose.
Sandoval I love the Taelons I wouldn't hurt them, I swear.
Well, we'll find out.
I guess I could use this like a knife cut you to pieces.
I have a theory, that enough pain will cancel the CVI block.
Boss, you're talking heavy trauma, you can punch this guy's ticket, and Zo'or wants him back with a heart beat.
Consider this a lesson, Tate The wage of defiance is death.
When you do something do it right.
OK, your globals should now horning on any CVI frequencies.
No CVIs within mile.
It's not a slam dunk.
For that to work the protector CVIs need to be emitting their correct frequencies.
The modification that scrambled the rest of their hash, could have changed that as well.
What else do we have to go with? In surch the stashes of food and weapon the Protectors might head a **** Liam, Miss Palmer, Miss Street.
Their has just been a regrettable vote by the synode.
Zo'or has prevailed, they have granted his motion to revenge the Taelon deaths by exterminating humanity.
Within 24 hours, all life on your planet will be untenable.
You can stop him, can't you? I tried, but Zo'or use the death of our brethren to infuse the Synode with his own insanity.
I urged you, leave Earth.
Take your shuttle to the taelon moon base.
I will join you there and we will find a new world for you somewhere.
Sorry, but we like this one.
I guess we gotta find those protectors.
No pressure.
Protector sanctuary, Cincinnati Ohio Apparently they've set photon mines 50 feet ahead beside those ***.
Detonnate them.
Move out.
Take no prisonners.
San Francisco, California Incoming transmission.
No sender ID.
- Message delivered via anonymous reflector site.
- We can't trace it, - maybe the rogue protectors.
- Unit 5 take your position.
All protectors are kill targets.
Repeat: kill targets.
It's a battle map for an assault in north Cincinnati.
We're taped into the tac frequency of the mothership Elite Guard.
Protectors aren't sending this.
But somebody wants us to know where they are.
Blue team, flank.
Rest disperse.
Boss, There's something unusual my scope shows fifty, sixty thousand rad of alpha radiation coming out of here.
Now if it's steady, it could be some kind of industrial waste.
No it's going up.
Seventy, Eighty, It's gonna overload our weapons Weapons down! They're overloaded with radiation.
Do it now! You're surrounded.
On the ground! You're all under arrest.
We have reinforcement outside, we're on the air.
Our *rovers* have orders to fire in one minute.
- I'm cool.
- Not if you work for the Taelons.
Collaboration is death! Lady, listen, none of this was my idea Said like a true Taelon did.
Put 'hem against the wall.
Liz! Liz, Liz it's Liam.
Up here.
Just take it easy, OK? It's alright, you remember me.
Everything's gonna be OK, just Just hold on.
Liam what's happening? Your CVI for some reason is giving you rogue commands.
We using this damper to block the flux.
I'll take it from here.
Tate put 'hem all under restraints.
Under the *** of the Taelon security act, I want you off this premises immediatetly.
A simple thank you would do.
Call the local FBI office for reinforcement oh and the press.
Well, you might want some coverage on the ***.
You have no authority.
- *What it's done it's done.
* - Everyone is gonna be happier, when we get these people to a federal building lockup, right? I detect a CVI recalibrations encoded in an alien energy spectrum.
There can be no question, Zo'or.
- The energy is Jaridian.
- Sha'bra.
Our ennemies are never far away.
Why not bring these assassins to the mothership as I instructed it? Protectors aren't a threat.
Volunteers med-tecs went down to the prison infirmery to remove their CVIs and are sending us specimens.
But where is the source of this Jaridian's energy? It may be coming from their homeworld, on Tau Ceti.
But I suspect it is closer.
Regardless, their emanation have ceased.
Such a device may continue to wreak havoc.
Find it, and destroy it.
How many Protectors on Earth were deimplanted before this all began? - Twenty seven.
- Alright.
Equip them with detectors for the Jaridian energy spectrum, then search from your shuttles.
I'll search from orbit.
Jaridians are probably using radiation shields.
Assuming it even becomes active again, an orbital search might not pick it up.
Every Taelon in the universe is aboard this mothership, wide awake and nervous.
They're all looking to me for protection so, I'm standing here and I'm giving the orders.
- Somehow I don't think that's the real reason.
- It doesn't matter what you think! OK, I've send the Volunteers techs in a wild goose chase of a story check from our power cells.
Now we've got the mental intervention rig to ourselves for about an hour.
So, who's your next customer? As a matter of fact you are.
It's like a virus or a bot program.
There are traces of Jaridian energy through the entire global comweb.
Right there.
That's a new spike of Jaridian energy.
An auxiliary portal carrier on the mothership? An interdimensionnal track from this specimen portal on the medbay.
That is a restricted portal, you need special authority to use it.
So, how can there be Jaridian energy on the mothership? It was activated by a CVI.
CVI with Jaridian modifications.
Street, I need a plot.
We know the origin now find me the terminus.
There it is.
It's in the northeast corner of Kentucky near Henderson.
Agent Sandoval, we have an alarming malfunction.
Core energy is being shunted from the storage cells to the main drives.
I cannot stop it.
That's because you're not logged in to the helm as commander.
I am always in command.
Not anymore you're a self-important malevolent cretin.
You have recently taken to insulting me.
- Is there a purpose? - No.
But it makes me feel better.
Wonderful.
Now, help stop the redirection of energy.
Since our retreat from the false Jaridian invasion several months ago, our core energy reserves have been critical.
What about your own energy reserve? What do you suppose? Six weeks? Four? Less? I hear that a Taelon's death is a frozen hell.
My death however soon it comes can only be ascent by this calamity waste.
All the brethren are out of stasis, and we need every drop of energy to live on.
Now, help me stop it.
Why? I'd portal your core energy into a *** if I could, then suck your dying breath from your chest.
Bridge.
send my guards to the stasis control module.
Your abuse and demean me at your will but I never forget.
- Bridge.
- You may be a monster, but you are a banal monster.
and I am delighted to be the instrument of your extermination.
Now, back off and die.
Tate! Relax! You're gonna make it.
I just gave you a shot of polydrenalin.
It's got to kick.
- Now, did you do this? - Not me Sandoval! - He's nuts! - So, what's new? No, I've never seen him like this.
Whatever's hidden that is inside.
he's darker than ever.
I'm glad you got my message.
Sandoval was gonna make court-martialed the rest of your buddies.
So, you sent us the location of the Protector hide-out, why? I like this planet, Kincaid.
He wouldn't kill the Protectors anyway.
I'm not sure.
This left the Taelons defenseless.
I guess he got what he wanna out of you.
He sent you through the specimen portal as medical waste.
- Uh, what a guy.
- Yes, it's not for humans.
He must presume you are dead.
- How did he reactivate the portal? - As usual, his CVI.
Oooh, take a look this pants, the dry-cleaner is gonna kill me.
Zo'or? - Usually the mothership mess send a - This is a personnal call.
If it's about the Jaridian energy I've narrowed it down.
It's either on or around the mothership.
I can confirm your suspicions.
I believe that the energy must be controlling agent Sandoval himself.
Several of his actions in the past of few hours, can be nothing less than an attempt to destroy me and all the Taelons.
I no longer command my own ship.
I'm a prisonner.
I've been noticing that the main drives have been brought to full power.
With the core energy, we need for mere survival.
I implore you to defeat him.
You may act in anyway you see fit with my full support.
It's my duty to help you but I can't do it alone.
You'll have to convince the ANA that you're not planning to kill us before I can do anything.
I don't give a damn where he takes them.
On the somewhere salt of Pluto.
Good riddance! What about the Jaridians? At the moment, the only source of Jaridian energy is on the mothership.
Think of that neat, tidy, all wrapped up for rest, and just kiss goodbye.
If you remember Sir the last time that the Jaridians sent a raiding party, their objective was a scorched earth policy.
The Taelons leave and the Jaridians come back we won't even have the Taelons to defende us.
It's our call.
My earlier decree to harm the human race was hasty.
I have hasten, and the Synode has agreed that from this point on, Humans and Taelons shall be equal.
We will never implant another human, and together, we will stride for peace with the Jaridians.
In return, I asked that the Protector Kincaid and ANA agents extricate us from our current crisis.
I wait your decision.
I'd say you're running the table, Hubble.
Sure.
He desperately wants a deal But I'm inclined to let them sail off into the sunset anyway.
- I told him we'd help.
- You had no authority to do that! From everything that I have seen, and everything that I have felt, I am now positive that our destiny and our evolutionnary path are linked.
We fail them, we fail ourselves.
You've seen it yourself, Hubble.
There's obviously a pattern.
Compare to our fate a mad man like Sandoval should be irrelevant.
We can't let him destroy what is rightfully ours.
Which is? Preservation of our own free will.
It's waiting for us.
- They already know we're here.
- Ship's on max security.
Intruders alert! Report! Hold them off.
*** in the deck spaces.
Drop down your weapons and surrender.
My god Liam! Look! Incompetence, I'll do it.
- It's a Jaridian replicator.
- No.
I saw his face.
It's Sandoval, with some kind of body armor.
And he's been subjected to the same reprogramming as the other Protectors.
That why we picked-up Jaridain energy from the CVI when he used the med portal.
If we can get close enough we can try the CVI damper.
Helm, report status on transfert of core energy to the main drives.
Transfert complete.
Be advise that core energy levels are critical.
Interdimensional travel will deplete all reserves.
Decks must be evacuated and life support curtail.
Proceed.
Course setting, Tau Ceti.
Where is he taking us? A double star, in the constellation of Cetus.
The Jaridian's home world.
Unknown vessel approaching.
Prep permission to dock.
Illuminate shuttle bay guidance system.
No use.
I can't turn us around.
Sandoval has a master lockout on a propulsion and guidance systems.
A ship is entering the shuttle bay.
It's Vorjak.
- I hope he remembers we saved his life? - Now let's just hope he's grateful.
- Greetings, Vorjak.
- Greetings, Sandoval.
You've done well, to bring the Taelons here where we may finally destroy them.
I'm afraid to say, that the Taelons are far too enervated to greet you.
This journey has taken a soul on them.
Their core energy is down to a trickle.
- At least they live.
- Yes.
The most of them have returned to their stasis deck.
It's no longer functional.
But, the stasis beds provide them with some comfort.
Taelon core energy? We've allways had a residual trace.
Left from the time our species were one.
Why bringing the core energy here? Aren't you going to destroy the mothership? Certainly.
But a judicial delegation is coming.
The Taelons must be trialed and found guilty of their atrocities.
For this I want them fully revived, before I put them to death ***.
Perhaps you are still dreaming, Zo'or, or perhaps, you wish it was so.
Welcome to Jaridia.
Congratulations, Vorjak.
You have achieved with treachery what eight million years of warfare could not.
Your motivational imperative is dead.
How do the Jaridians control you to betray me? Their adaptive technology rewaken my CVI neurons, and recalibrated them for this purpose.
But doesn't need to rid us.
Long ago, enlightened members of both our species agreed to attempt a joining.
- We tried, and failed.
It can never be Da'an.
I'm only days away from my own death on a path of fire as are all of my kind.
So it will end, and we will leave the cosmos to our successors.
Then let us keep what little time we have left.
I am begging Of course you are begging.
What is your intention? To trial you and to kill you.
Then to replace the I.
D.
drives on this vessel and to transport a task force to finish what our raiding party began.
To *** all life from the face of the Earth.
Let the humans live.
They were never our allies.
Their contact with you was enough to doom them as it has been with so many over time.
And what about Lili? She's no more guilty than the rest of humanity.
Are you going to kill her too, and your child? - I'll eliminate them.
- A moment.
Yes Lili my wife and Arial our child they are not above the Jaridian law.
But soon, they will be alone.
Totally alone.
And that will be punishment enough.
What about murdering billions of humans? You detest Zo'or but he was planing the same genocide only yesterday.
- You two are the same.
- No, we are the victors.
And I am a soldier.
I have a duty to perform.
You may eliminate them now.
There's an ID portal station *** corridors.
There's not enough range to get us back to Earth from here We have to make a stand.
It is no use.
- That let us the CVI damper.
- Run it up to full gain.
Start hoping for miracles.
Sandoval, listen to me.
They're controlling your brain.
Your CVI was reprogrammed by the Jaridians.
Look, Liam, you should have stayed on Earth.
You heard Vorjak.
He's sending this ship back there with a death squad.
Can you let him destroy your entire planet? No.
It's not my world.
Without you the Jaridians will never won.
You're responsible.
But you can change it.
What has humanity done for me recently? - I'm a pariah.
- You made yourself one, there's no-one to blame.
But no matter how much have been outcast you feel, you're still a human being, not a Taelon, not a Jaridian.
And Earth is your home.
The Jaridians show no mercy.
But you can.
So what happens when they're gone? After you let them destroy Earth, when all killings done, where do you go? You wander an empty universe alone.
Is that a victory? We need Sandoval to guide us.
You once said the Taelons stole your humanity Is that true? Is there nothing but hatred left in your shadowed live.
Can you let Vorjak steal the futur from your entire species, from your own children? That's right, I know you've done genetic experiments to clone your own DNA into dozen of children.
- This way.
- He's coming right now, decide.
Save your planet or die alone, *** he'll destroy it and everyone on it, including your own children.
Liam, behind you! - I think you got through to him.
- No.
I think you got enough gain out of that thing to disrupt the CVI signal.
No I didn't, it burned out.
It's all you.
Jaridians are leaving to the shuttle bay.
Vorjak's going back aboard the ship.
He's probably gain a dispence with the trial and put a particule beam *** pipe.
Sandoval, Vorjak's gonna fire on us.
I can not get a good connection.
We don't need full energy in the drives, tap into the core energy, we won't use the ***form.
Time to talk.
I do not comdemn you for hating me.
Leaders must do hateful things.
But I wish to know more of your sentiments.
I don't remember what I said, Zo'or or or what I did.
- Vorjak recalibrated my CVI.
- We will see.
However, I think that must be so, for there is no reason you should consider me, banal.
Our engineers have done the calculations.
This trip to Jaridia leaves enough core energy for every Taelons to live a short while and return to Earth, just barely.
So, you break even.
I'm glad it worked out Da'an.
I suppose when you only have minutes a week is a godsend.
At least, it will be enough to return you safely to Earth.
You think Vorjak can follow us home? The Jaridians still do not possess interdimensional drives.
And he himself has only a few weeks to live.
Agent Sandoval? You look surprisingly well.
I thought Zo'or will sharpen his nails on you.
Well, he was satisfied with the data on my CVI.
I was not in control of my actions, or my words, but do remember them? So, do you remember our conversation? Well you did most of the talking.
Some platitudes about my basic humanity.
But it is fair to warn you Major, humanity is a very illusive quality even for much better people than myself.
_^^^^_ ( O .
O ) ( o )
- All humans are banished from the mothership.
- This is insanity.
I shall return to the bridge in 15 minutes.
Any humans remaining will be shot on sight.
We have been able to effectively integrate the Jaridian enhancements - into our weapons array.
- Excellent.
Should the Jaridians attack, we can respond with equal force, And though, it disturbes me to think we can now annihilate an entire planet in a blink of an eye.
- I find it empowering.
Why did the ANA High Court stopped investigating Taelon's crimes? You have genetically manipulating human embryos.
Do you deny it? We were trying to advance your own evolution.
Nothing more.
We misjudged your need to advance at your own natural pace.
What about rumors that most Taelons are dead Jur'al? It's a number one topic for "openyoureyes.
com" The brethren on the mothership have all revived.
Four hundred and six Taelons.
As always you are welcome aboard to see for yourselves.
We'd better run some discreet interference.
Kevin, you and Liz work that end *** Mike cover the door.
Can we go alone Stay back please.
You told humanity you will die, now why did you suddenly revive? Please we know our recent actions seem contradictory.
- Kevin, Liz link up with me.
- Imagine our own mental duress.
We sense death by our side.
Kevin, Liz, is there anybody on the com? I copy you, Liam.
Alright, heads up Marco Kevin and Liz are asleep at the switch.
We are burdened by the recent human suffering which threatened our relationship.
This is why Da'an shall lead our forgiveness delegation to the Atlantic National Alliance.
Out the way, Let me through! Stay down.
- Is anybody hurts - It's over.
- Help will be here in a minute.
- Yes Major? Companion emergency protocol blue.
roll everything you've got to this location.
Multiple energy injuries, crash teams, full medical evac, this is no drill.
Response team on the way.
They have come to Earth with the promise of peace an alien race called the Taelons.
But there are those who resist these alien Companions.
For the Taelon's true mission, the secrets they hide will forever alter our world.
Transcription: jrzac+ Team Trad.
EFC The fate of humanity now relies on those who dare challenge the future of Earth.
Season 4 Episode 21 DARK HORIZONS Taelon Press Conference - Washington D.
C.
Yes Sir everything's clear.
What else exactly can we do? Hubble? *** for Armageddon.
Eight taelons are dead in six differents cities.
Eleven humans were caught into crossfire but the Taelons were the targets.
Sat news is calling it an ANA plot.
It's a bunch of rogue protectors who've now gone underground, probably together.
We can't find them.
I believe that I've never heard any widespread discontent.
Call it what you like.
That was a coordinated attack.
Triggered by some sort of signal at, What was the source of the signal? Jamming on the protector com link or a fail satellite, or sun spots, or black magic, we don't know.
Fill that up.
Put a couple shots of bourbon in it this time.
*** by the throat, that's a massacre.
The worst attack since the Taelons got here, They have to do something.
Zo'or has recalled all Companions to the mothership and warmed up his particule beam weapons.
So how I can help you.
Brief Planglobal security and get into the hunt.
Find the killers before the Taelons do.
Once they're on the mothership, God help them.
Liam's already up there.
Why don't you assure Zo'or once we find who did this we throw away the key.
I did that already.
And Zo'or has been very reasonable.
He hardly raise his voice when he told me he planed to incenerate me if I didn't find them in about Twenty four hours, then I will burrow a hole through this benighted planet.
The ANA is searching with everything they got.
A dead line won't make any difference Zo'or.
Then perhaps I should open fire now.
Jaridians do not kill this many of us in a decade.
I have lost Jur'al my new minister of truth and Da'an barely escaped.
I was fortunate to have Major Kincaid with me.
My refusal to give him an implant may have been prescient.
Observe the synaptic fusing.
I believe protector Walker's CVI was remotely recalibrated.
He grabbed his head in pain and screamed before he began firing.
So did Argyle and Perez.
- Their CVIs were functionnal? - Fully.
They were among the last to be implanted, and had not yet succombed to the human immune factor.
- And their motivation imperatives? - Also functionnal.
These protectors should have no choice but to guard Taelons at all costs.
That is precisely where the recalibration occured.
What about the Volunteers? Hundreds of officers have implants.
It was a different design.
From the evidence, only the more complex protector implants were affected.
Kevin Walker was my friend so are Liz Argyle and Mike Perez.
They never uttered an anti-Taelon word.
Something gave them a new imperative: to kill Tealons.
- At the same moment around the globe? - It would appear, but I can tell no more from this CVI.
It has expired.
Then we need one as you humans would say: "alive and kicking".
These friends, find them, bring one to me.
I can't believe it, my friends who I know and trust, one minute they're doing their jobs, the next they're killing anyone in sight.
Every functionnal CVI was affected worldwide I count eleven protectors who are dangerous.
- All of them have disappeared from their embassies.
- But who reprogrammed their CVIs and how? Maybe the ANA lab rats tinkered up some kind of gizmo.
I doubt it.
The ANA doesn't want all those loose canons on deck.
They're still human beings.
We need to find them before Sandoval gets to them first.
- Street can you hack into ID traffic control.
- I already tried.
If they were travelling together no problem, but they escaped in ones and twos.
Protectors are trying to travel invisibly.
We can mask our shuttles from every sensor.
We've got hidden stashes and food norms.
Here's what you wanted.
I think, it should disrupt and damper the CVI signal.
Hopefully bring them back to the real world.
After that I just hope they'll listen, turn themselves in without a fight.
Good in theory but how do we test it before we get too close? We need a working CVI right? So that means we need to find Liz and the others.
So I guess we'll know if it works when it works.
Two million law enforcement personal are in the men hunt worldwide.
Not enough! My feeling exactly.
I want the mothership Elite Guards and unlimited martial law to begin with.
Go.
Do it.
Find these people.
You do not need my permission for every flick of your finger.
Oh the killing in Washington a Protector named Margiori was on duty with major Kincaid.
Margiori didn't attack.
His implant was removed last month.
What is the status of "your" CVI agent Sandoval? You recently had it reimplanted, did you not? Only as a memory aid and to control my skrill.
Its motivational imperative has long since failed.
But, if it was functional, your motivational imperative could have been altered to kill Taelons.
It would be imprudent to trust you.
Hypothetically.
Give him an overload flux.
Why Zo'or? You have my complete loyalty.
It may be dangerous Zo'or.
If those CVI cells are still active, they will ignite in agent Sandoval's brain.
Precisely, but if they are dormant no harm done.
And agent Sandoval's personal motives as base and selfish as they may be are something I understand and can control.
Proceed.
As I said, my motivational imperative is only a memory.
Fine, stop wasting time.
Find me someone to punish.
- Yes.
- Boss, I'm in Cincinnati, Back Perez, three falls all he's.
Boss, boss if you didn't wanted him dent you should have said.
Eyes front, set a new course Take us to Kentucky.
Do you want some protein? You see peanut butter'll do in a pinch.
Full of protein, now you're a loopy! - What is this place? - It's an old slaughter house.
They make a front clean up side.
********.
We've got steam clean from top to bottom remove the dirt down six feet.
- What are you doing here? - I don't know.
Somehow I went to open a live stuck portal over the river in Kentucky.
This is as far as I got before Tate jumped me.
He used the blind travel protocol, but by then I put in a system override and was waiting for him.
Could you get me down from here? No Perez you and I worked together for I don't know 5 years on and off.
You never broke a rule I know of, and all of sudden you make turkey shoot all over a Taelon's press conference.
Why? I don't know! I don't even remember it.
Well, take me to the mothership for an intervention, you'll see.
It's not a good idea.
It seems Zo'or is on the warpath, but in a very funny mood.
Why don't you take your chance with us? I'll survive.
And you'll know I was telling the truth.
Whatever happened it wasn't my doing.
Nothing high-tech.
Maybe a 300 pounds per square inch Who're you working with? Where are they? I know this man pretty well And that's not a look I'd like to see coming along with the steam hose.
Sandoval I love the Taelons I wouldn't hurt them, I swear.
Well, we'll find out.
I guess I could use this like a knife cut you to pieces.
I have a theory, that enough pain will cancel the CVI block.
Boss, you're talking heavy trauma, you can punch this guy's ticket, and Zo'or wants him back with a heart beat.
Consider this a lesson, Tate The wage of defiance is death.
When you do something do it right.
OK, your globals should now horning on any CVI frequencies.
No CVIs within mile.
It's not a slam dunk.
For that to work the protector CVIs need to be emitting their correct frequencies.
The modification that scrambled the rest of their hash, could have changed that as well.
What else do we have to go with? In surch the stashes of food and weapon the Protectors might head a **** Liam, Miss Palmer, Miss Street.
Their has just been a regrettable vote by the synode.
Zo'or has prevailed, they have granted his motion to revenge the Taelon deaths by exterminating humanity.
Within 24 hours, all life on your planet will be untenable.
You can stop him, can't you? I tried, but Zo'or use the death of our brethren to infuse the Synode with his own insanity.
I urged you, leave Earth.
Take your shuttle to the taelon moon base.
I will join you there and we will find a new world for you somewhere.
Sorry, but we like this one.
I guess we gotta find those protectors.
No pressure.
Protector sanctuary, Cincinnati Ohio Apparently they've set photon mines 50 feet ahead beside those ***.
Detonnate them.
Move out.
Take no prisonners.
San Francisco, California Incoming transmission.
No sender ID.
- Message delivered via anonymous reflector site.
- We can't trace it, - maybe the rogue protectors.
- Unit 5 take your position.
All protectors are kill targets.
Repeat: kill targets.
It's a battle map for an assault in north Cincinnati.
We're taped into the tac frequency of the mothership Elite Guard.
Protectors aren't sending this.
But somebody wants us to know where they are.
Blue team, flank.
Rest disperse.
Boss, There's something unusual my scope shows fifty, sixty thousand rad of alpha radiation coming out of here.
Now if it's steady, it could be some kind of industrial waste.
No it's going up.
Seventy, Eighty, It's gonna overload our weapons Weapons down! They're overloaded with radiation.
Do it now! You're surrounded.
On the ground! You're all under arrest.
We have reinforcement outside, we're on the air.
Our *rovers* have orders to fire in one minute.
- I'm cool.
- Not if you work for the Taelons.
Collaboration is death! Lady, listen, none of this was my idea Said like a true Taelon did.
Put 'hem against the wall.
Liz! Liz, Liz it's Liam.
Up here.
Just take it easy, OK? It's alright, you remember me.
Everything's gonna be OK, just Just hold on.
Liam what's happening? Your CVI for some reason is giving you rogue commands.
We using this damper to block the flux.
I'll take it from here.
Tate put 'hem all under restraints.
Under the *** of the Taelon security act, I want you off this premises immediatetly.
A simple thank you would do.
Call the local FBI office for reinforcement oh and the press.
Well, you might want some coverage on the ***.
You have no authority.
- *What it's done it's done.
* - Everyone is gonna be happier, when we get these people to a federal building lockup, right? I detect a CVI recalibrations encoded in an alien energy spectrum.
There can be no question, Zo'or.
- The energy is Jaridian.
- Sha'bra.
Our ennemies are never far away.
Why not bring these assassins to the mothership as I instructed it? Protectors aren't a threat.
Volunteers med-tecs went down to the prison infirmery to remove their CVIs and are sending us specimens.
But where is the source of this Jaridian's energy? It may be coming from their homeworld, on Tau Ceti.
But I suspect it is closer.
Regardless, their emanation have ceased.
Such a device may continue to wreak havoc.
Find it, and destroy it.
How many Protectors on Earth were deimplanted before this all began? - Twenty seven.
- Alright.
Equip them with detectors for the Jaridian energy spectrum, then search from your shuttles.
I'll search from orbit.
Jaridians are probably using radiation shields.
Assuming it even becomes active again, an orbital search might not pick it up.
Every Taelon in the universe is aboard this mothership, wide awake and nervous.
They're all looking to me for protection so, I'm standing here and I'm giving the orders.
- Somehow I don't think that's the real reason.
- It doesn't matter what you think! OK, I've send the Volunteers techs in a wild goose chase of a story check from our power cells.
Now we've got the mental intervention rig to ourselves for about an hour.
So, who's your next customer? As a matter of fact you are.
It's like a virus or a bot program.
There are traces of Jaridian energy through the entire global comweb.
Right there.
That's a new spike of Jaridian energy.
An auxiliary portal carrier on the mothership? An interdimensionnal track from this specimen portal on the medbay.
That is a restricted portal, you need special authority to use it.
So, how can there be Jaridian energy on the mothership? It was activated by a CVI.
CVI with Jaridian modifications.
Street, I need a plot.
We know the origin now find me the terminus.
There it is.
It's in the northeast corner of Kentucky near Henderson.
Agent Sandoval, we have an alarming malfunction.
Core energy is being shunted from the storage cells to the main drives.
I cannot stop it.
That's because you're not logged in to the helm as commander.
I am always in command.
Not anymore you're a self-important malevolent cretin.
You have recently taken to insulting me.
- Is there a purpose? - No.
But it makes me feel better.
Wonderful.
Now, help stop the redirection of energy.
Since our retreat from the false Jaridian invasion several months ago, our core energy reserves have been critical.
What about your own energy reserve? What do you suppose? Six weeks? Four? Less? I hear that a Taelon's death is a frozen hell.
My death however soon it comes can only be ascent by this calamity waste.
All the brethren are out of stasis, and we need every drop of energy to live on.
Now, help me stop it.
Why? I'd portal your core energy into a *** if I could, then suck your dying breath from your chest.
Bridge.
send my guards to the stasis control module.
Your abuse and demean me at your will but I never forget.
- Bridge.
- You may be a monster, but you are a banal monster.
and I am delighted to be the instrument of your extermination.
Now, back off and die.
Tate! Relax! You're gonna make it.
I just gave you a shot of polydrenalin.
It's got to kick.
- Now, did you do this? - Not me Sandoval! - He's nuts! - So, what's new? No, I've never seen him like this.
Whatever's hidden that is inside.
he's darker than ever.
I'm glad you got my message.
Sandoval was gonna make court-martialed the rest of your buddies.
So, you sent us the location of the Protector hide-out, why? I like this planet, Kincaid.
He wouldn't kill the Protectors anyway.
I'm not sure.
This left the Taelons defenseless.
I guess he got what he wanna out of you.
He sent you through the specimen portal as medical waste.
- Uh, what a guy.
- Yes, it's not for humans.
He must presume you are dead.
- How did he reactivate the portal? - As usual, his CVI.
Oooh, take a look this pants, the dry-cleaner is gonna kill me.
Zo'or? - Usually the mothership mess send a - This is a personnal call.
If it's about the Jaridian energy I've narrowed it down.
It's either on or around the mothership.
I can confirm your suspicions.
I believe that the energy must be controlling agent Sandoval himself.
Several of his actions in the past of few hours, can be nothing less than an attempt to destroy me and all the Taelons.
I no longer command my own ship.
I'm a prisonner.
I've been noticing that the main drives have been brought to full power.
With the core energy, we need for mere survival.
I implore you to defeat him.
You may act in anyway you see fit with my full support.
It's my duty to help you but I can't do it alone.
You'll have to convince the ANA that you're not planning to kill us before I can do anything.
I don't give a damn where he takes them.
On the somewhere salt of Pluto.
Good riddance! What about the Jaridians? At the moment, the only source of Jaridian energy is on the mothership.
Think of that neat, tidy, all wrapped up for rest, and just kiss goodbye.
If you remember Sir the last time that the Jaridians sent a raiding party, their objective was a scorched earth policy.
The Taelons leave and the Jaridians come back we won't even have the Taelons to defende us.
It's our call.
My earlier decree to harm the human race was hasty.
I have hasten, and the Synode has agreed that from this point on, Humans and Taelons shall be equal.
We will never implant another human, and together, we will stride for peace with the Jaridians.
In return, I asked that the Protector Kincaid and ANA agents extricate us from our current crisis.
I wait your decision.
I'd say you're running the table, Hubble.
Sure.
He desperately wants a deal But I'm inclined to let them sail off into the sunset anyway.
- I told him we'd help.
- You had no authority to do that! From everything that I have seen, and everything that I have felt, I am now positive that our destiny and our evolutionnary path are linked.
We fail them, we fail ourselves.
You've seen it yourself, Hubble.
There's obviously a pattern.
Compare to our fate a mad man like Sandoval should be irrelevant.
We can't let him destroy what is rightfully ours.
Which is? Preservation of our own free will.
It's waiting for us.
- They already know we're here.
- Ship's on max security.
Intruders alert! Report! Hold them off.
*** in the deck spaces.
Drop down your weapons and surrender.
My god Liam! Look! Incompetence, I'll do it.
- It's a Jaridian replicator.
- No.
I saw his face.
It's Sandoval, with some kind of body armor.
And he's been subjected to the same reprogramming as the other Protectors.
That why we picked-up Jaridain energy from the CVI when he used the med portal.
If we can get close enough we can try the CVI damper.
Helm, report status on transfert of core energy to the main drives.
Transfert complete.
Be advise that core energy levels are critical.
Interdimensional travel will deplete all reserves.
Decks must be evacuated and life support curtail.
Proceed.
Course setting, Tau Ceti.
Where is he taking us? A double star, in the constellation of Cetus.
The Jaridian's home world.
Unknown vessel approaching.
Prep permission to dock.
Illuminate shuttle bay guidance system.
No use.
I can't turn us around.
Sandoval has a master lockout on a propulsion and guidance systems.
A ship is entering the shuttle bay.
It's Vorjak.
- I hope he remembers we saved his life? - Now let's just hope he's grateful.
- Greetings, Vorjak.
- Greetings, Sandoval.
You've done well, to bring the Taelons here where we may finally destroy them.
I'm afraid to say, that the Taelons are far too enervated to greet you.
This journey has taken a soul on them.
Their core energy is down to a trickle.
- At least they live.
- Yes.
The most of them have returned to their stasis deck.
It's no longer functional.
But, the stasis beds provide them with some comfort.
Taelon core energy? We've allways had a residual trace.
Left from the time our species were one.
Why bringing the core energy here? Aren't you going to destroy the mothership? Certainly.
But a judicial delegation is coming.
The Taelons must be trialed and found guilty of their atrocities.
For this I want them fully revived, before I put them to death ***.
Perhaps you are still dreaming, Zo'or, or perhaps, you wish it was so.
Welcome to Jaridia.
Congratulations, Vorjak.
You have achieved with treachery what eight million years of warfare could not.
Your motivational imperative is dead.
How do the Jaridians control you to betray me? Their adaptive technology rewaken my CVI neurons, and recalibrated them for this purpose.
But doesn't need to rid us.
Long ago, enlightened members of both our species agreed to attempt a joining.
- We tried, and failed.
It can never be Da'an.
I'm only days away from my own death on a path of fire as are all of my kind.
So it will end, and we will leave the cosmos to our successors.
Then let us keep what little time we have left.
I am begging Of course you are begging.
What is your intention? To trial you and to kill you.
Then to replace the I.
D.
drives on this vessel and to transport a task force to finish what our raiding party began.
To *** all life from the face of the Earth.
Let the humans live.
They were never our allies.
Their contact with you was enough to doom them as it has been with so many over time.
And what about Lili? She's no more guilty than the rest of humanity.
Are you going to kill her too, and your child? - I'll eliminate them.
- A moment.
Yes Lili my wife and Arial our child they are not above the Jaridian law.
But soon, they will be alone.
Totally alone.
And that will be punishment enough.
What about murdering billions of humans? You detest Zo'or but he was planing the same genocide only yesterday.
- You two are the same.
- No, we are the victors.
And I am a soldier.
I have a duty to perform.
You may eliminate them now.
There's an ID portal station *** corridors.
There's not enough range to get us back to Earth from here We have to make a stand.
It is no use.
- That let us the CVI damper.
- Run it up to full gain.
Start hoping for miracles.
Sandoval, listen to me.
They're controlling your brain.
Your CVI was reprogrammed by the Jaridians.
Look, Liam, you should have stayed on Earth.
You heard Vorjak.
He's sending this ship back there with a death squad.
Can you let him destroy your entire planet? No.
It's not my world.
Without you the Jaridians will never won.
You're responsible.
But you can change it.
What has humanity done for me recently? - I'm a pariah.
- You made yourself one, there's no-one to blame.
But no matter how much have been outcast you feel, you're still a human being, not a Taelon, not a Jaridian.
And Earth is your home.
The Jaridians show no mercy.
But you can.
So what happens when they're gone? After you let them destroy Earth, when all killings done, where do you go? You wander an empty universe alone.
Is that a victory? We need Sandoval to guide us.
You once said the Taelons stole your humanity Is that true? Is there nothing but hatred left in your shadowed live.
Can you let Vorjak steal the futur from your entire species, from your own children? That's right, I know you've done genetic experiments to clone your own DNA into dozen of children.
- This way.
- He's coming right now, decide.
Save your planet or die alone, *** he'll destroy it and everyone on it, including your own children.
Liam, behind you! - I think you got through to him.
- No.
I think you got enough gain out of that thing to disrupt the CVI signal.
No I didn't, it burned out.
It's all you.
Jaridians are leaving to the shuttle bay.
Vorjak's going back aboard the ship.
He's probably gain a dispence with the trial and put a particule beam *** pipe.
Sandoval, Vorjak's gonna fire on us.
I can not get a good connection.
We don't need full energy in the drives, tap into the core energy, we won't use the ***form.
Time to talk.
I do not comdemn you for hating me.
Leaders must do hateful things.
But I wish to know more of your sentiments.
I don't remember what I said, Zo'or or or what I did.
- Vorjak recalibrated my CVI.
- We will see.
However, I think that must be so, for there is no reason you should consider me, banal.
Our engineers have done the calculations.
This trip to Jaridia leaves enough core energy for every Taelons to live a short while and return to Earth, just barely.
So, you break even.
I'm glad it worked out Da'an.
I suppose when you only have minutes a week is a godsend.
At least, it will be enough to return you safely to Earth.
You think Vorjak can follow us home? The Jaridians still do not possess interdimensional drives.
And he himself has only a few weeks to live.
Agent Sandoval? You look surprisingly well.
I thought Zo'or will sharpen his nails on you.
Well, he was satisfied with the data on my CVI.
I was not in control of my actions, or my words, but do remember them? So, do you remember our conversation? Well you did most of the talking.
Some platitudes about my basic humanity.
But it is fair to warn you Major, humanity is a very illusive quality even for much better people than myself.
_^^^^_ ( O .
O ) ( o )