All Great Neptune's Ocean
From The New Systems Commonwealth Wiki
steps removed from Anarchy,
but at least it's not as loud.
Crowned in Starlight
Than Hegemon, CY 9843
All Great Neptune's Ocean is an episode from the first season of Andromeda.
Contents |
[edit] Production Information
| Production Number: | 110 |
| Aired: | January 15, 2001 |
| Written By: | Walter Jon Williams |
| Directed By: | Allan Harmon |
| INSERT EPISODE SCREENHOT HERE | |
| Created By: | Gene Roddenberry |
| Developed By: | Robert Hewitt Wolfe |
| Executive Producers: | Allan Eastman Majel Roddenberry Robert Hewitt Wolfe Josanne B. Lovick Jay Firestone Adam Haight |
| Producer | Sherry Gorval |
| Production Designer | Ken Rabehl |
| Intro | The long night has come. The Systems Commonwealth the greatest civilisation in history has fallen. Now, one ship, one crew have vowed to drive back the night and rekindle the light of civilisation. On the starship Andromeda hope lives again. |
[edit] Starring
[edit] Regular Cast
| Actor |
|
|---|---|
| Kevin Sorbo | |
| Lisa Ryder | |
| Keith Hamilton Cobb | |
| Gordon Michael Woolvett | |
| Brent Stait | |
| Laura Bertram | |
| Lexa Doig |
[edit] Guest Stars
| Actor |
|
|---|---|
| Mikela J. Mikael |
|
| Malcolm Stewart |
|
[edit] Co-Starring
| Actor |
|
|---|---|
| Allan Morgan |
|
[edit] Summary
The crew is preparing for a formal state dinner with Castalia, a world ruled by a race of humans genetically-engineered to breathe water, but including a minority of unmodified humans. The various races were united in a republic by President Lee.
While Lee's security advisor, Colonel Yau, reviews Andromeda Ascendant's security, Rommie tries to convince Beka of the need for her to wear a dress. The Castalians are sticklers for protocol, down to having musical cues for every formal occasion.
At dinner, Lee tells Dylan that he expects to sign the charter tomorrow, on a live broadcast. However, Tyr interrupts the dinner, accusing Lee of slaughtering the Volsung Pride – a Nietzschean pride that was an offshoot of Tyr's Kodiak Pride.
In a private conversation, Tyr tells Dylan that the Volsung orbital station was destroyed at the end of a war, when the Volsung were about to surrender.
Dylan confronts Lee about this. Lee suggests that the Volsung may have destroyed their own orbital, killing all aboard, including human slaves. Dylan points out that Nietzscheans do not commit suicide. Yau says that it may have been an accident, but they will never know.
Lee is still willing to sign the charter, but requires an apology from Tyr first. When Dylan discusses this with Tyr, he reminds Tyr that re-establishing the commonwealth means justice (and formal inquiry) for everyone. He encourages him to consider the "long game".
Tyr agrees to apologize, and Lee requests a moment alone with him (with cameras off) before the live address. While the rest wait outside, they hear the presidential music and a shot. They rush inside to find Lee dead, and Tyr unconscious.
Yau claims that Lee was like a father to her, and demands that Tyr be handed over as the murderer. Dylan claims the evidence is circumstantial, but there will be an investigation, and Yau will be involved.
Chancellor Chandos is sworn in as President, and in his inaugural address, he vows revenge on Lee's killer. Yau notes to Dylan that Castalia has the death penalty.
Dylan speaks with Tyr, who does not remember being with the president, in medical. Dylan tells Tyr that Lee is dead, and Tyr asks him if he has determined who did it. Dylan and Beka wonder whether Tyr is, in fact innocent. Tyr explains that if he wanted to kill Lee, he would do a better job, and they would not be able to trace it to him – therefore, he must be innocent. That being said, Tyr asks Dylan if he wants him to surrender himself. Dylan is not willing to sacrifice an innocent man, although Harper indicates that he would be willing to sacrifice Tyr for his own safety.
Harper demonstrates the features of the forcelance to Yau. These features include firing self-directed "smart bullets", and a security feature that shocks anyone but the owner (triggered by DNA recognition) who handles the weapon. Tyr's forcelance fired two smart bullets – but they were fired straight down, at a low velocity, and then homed in on Lee – and shocked Tyr into unconsciousness. Yau is convinced that Tyr did it.
Dylan runs a background check on Yau, and discovers that she was a slave, and her family died on the Volsung habitat. This gives a potential motive for Yau as the murderer – revenge, if she suspected Lee was responsible for the destruction of the habitat.
The third suspect is Chandos, since he did become president. Yau discredits this, since Lee was going to resign after signing the charter, so Chandos would be president in three days, and knew it.
A single Castalian ship boards the Andromeda. Dylan allows them to board, but overpowers them with a forcelance charge, tossing it on the floor among them and activating it remotely, shocking them into unconsciousness (but not killing them). Yau states that the boarding was not authorized by the Castalian government.
Dylan and Yau review the forcelance capabilities again, considering the fact that it can be operated remotely. Dylan's theory is that someone activated Tyr's forcelance remotely, and when Tyr grabbed it, it shocked him.
Rommie reviews her records of the incident and finds that the forcelance was controlled from her communications port, therefore, she must be guilty of killing Lee. She does not, however, remember planning to do so. Knowing that if Rommie is found guilty, she will be erased, Harper offers to download her personality into his neural net, but she declines.
Tyr confronts Yau, accusing her of killing Lee, as revenge for his destruction of the habitat. She says that if she believed he had done so, she would have, but she does not.
Harper tries to tell Dylan that he did it. Dylan does not believe it, as Harper has no motive – he realizes that Harper is just trying to save Rommie.
Beka suggests to Dylan that they just cut their losses and leave. Dylan says that he does not want to act as if he is "above the law".
Rommie is prepared to surrender herself, for the good of the Commonwealth. However, Harper discovers something when reviewing the records – Chandos has not used the presidential fanfare for his appearances on Andromeda.
They arrange for a live broadcast for Rommie's surrender. When Chandos enters, Beka reminds Rommie to play the music. When she does so, Chandos starts frantically removing the presidential regalia, and Tyr's forcelance fires two effectors and shocks Tyr. The truth is apparent: Chandos is responsible for hiding a "trigger" in the music. Yau arrests him, and the broadcast is terminated.
Chandos explains his motivation: Lee was planning to confess that he and Chandos were responsible for the destruction of the Volsung habitat in his resignation address. Chandos believed that this would trigger a civil war – he killed Lee to save the Republic. He suggests that they pin the blame on someone else, but Dylan will not participate in a cover-up.
While escorting Chandos to custody, Yau tries to orchestrate a situation where she can shoot Chandos, making it seem as if he was trying to escape, but Dylan interferes, insisting on proper legal process.
The Charter is ratified by Castalia, but as Andromeda leaves, they are experiencing civil unrest.
[edit] Memorable quotes
Beka: What if they start shooting? How am I supposed to run in a dress? Rommie: Good heavens! What kind of dinner parties have you been to?
Tyr: For the man determined to cook history's greatest omelet, you're awfully squeamish about cracking your eggs.
Harper: Fine. But I reserve the right to confess later.
Beka: Hey, I read the first officer's job description. 'Playing Devil's Advocate' – it's on page three. Dylan: Get thee behind me, Satan.
[edit] DVD Release
All Great Neptune's Ocean was released on DVD in a variety of formats. For more information see:
