| Lava and Rockets | |
|---|---|
| |
| Production | |
| Episode |
2.13 |
| Production # |
213 |
| Original air date |
February 4, 2002 |
| Written by | |
| Directed by | |
| Developed by | |
| Producer | |
| Executive Producer |
Allan Eastman |
| Production Designer | |
| Cast | |
| Guest stars |
Kristin Lehman as Molly Noguchi |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | |
| Followed by | |
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
Major Korgo Korgar
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Lava and Rockets is episode 13 of Andromeda: Season Two.
The Regular Cast of Andromeda Season 2
Synopsis
Harper is making repairs while Dylan and Tyr are on a parts run in the Eureka Maru.
Molly Noguchi, a cruise ship tour guide, is reviewing her tour script and doing a pre-flight check when Dylan bursts onto her ship, points his Force lance at her, and demands she get off the ship. She thinks it is a security drill and admits she did not read the training manual; then she hears gunfire outside the ship. Dylan tells her that they are shooting at him, and she should get off the ship to safety. She tells him that her Dataport is required to fly the ship, so he tells her to fly. She informs him that this is her first flight.
Rommie is frustrated that she always seems to need repairs. Beka sends Trance to help Harper with the repairs, and Trance notes that both Beka and Rommie are still getting used to the "new Trance".
Tyr returns to the Andromeda on the Maru, without Dylan. Rommie is upset by this.
Molly tries to get Dylan to tell her more about who he is and who is shooting at him. Dylan only tells her that he needs to get to Enkindu. They are approached by three ships, which Dylan identifies as Ogami, elite mercenaries who never break a contract. Molly takes evasive maneuvers, and shakes the Ogami off their tail.
Tyr and Rommie are on the Maru, going back to find Dylan. Tyr explains that they met with an weapons dealer, Ferahr al-Akbar, who is an old contact of Tyr's, but they were attacked by mercenaries. Both he and Dylan expected that the mercenaries were after Tyr, so they split up, and were surprised that they went after Dylan. Tyr came back to the Maru to get help. Rommie does not trust Tyr, especially after the incidents with the remains of Drago Museveni, but Tyr insists that if he really wanted Dylan dead, Dylan would already be dead. Rommie accepts this, but makes some non-specific threats about what she will do if anything has happened to Dylan.
Harper is working on repairs and Trance shows up to help. Harper says that he does not want her help, and tells her to go away. Trance notes that it is because of her change, and leaves, seeming hurt.
The Ogami are attacking Molly's ship again. Dylan has her vent the Antiproton Storage Tanks, causing an explosion that blinds the Ogami's sensors, allowing them to escape again. Molly is enjoying the excitement. Dylan tells her to get him to Enkindu, and he will see that she is reimbursed for her trouble. They try to jump to slipstream and fail, because the Exotic Matter Pulsar Lense, which was cracked in the course of the chase, sent them heading towards the Drift for repairs.
En route, Dylan relates his story, and Molly is impressed. Dylan is worried about going back to where he was first attacked by the Ogami, but he has an idea. He goes back to Ferahr al-Akbar, the weapons dealer, to try to find out who sent the Ogami, and he is able to pressure him for a good deal on the part they need.
Rommie is giving Tyr the silent-treatment. Tyr says that he thinks that she has become emotionally attached to Dylan, but Rommie shrugs him off.
As Dylan and Molly are waiting in the Haukin Vora Drift customs center, Dylan apologizes for getting Molly involved. Molly, coming to the realization that Dylan has essentially kidnapped her and hijacked her ship, calls for help from the police at customs. The police try to shake them down for a bribe, which surprises both of them. Molly is dismayed that the police are corrupt. The police officer replies that the local taxes are too low and the crime rate is too high for them to enforce the law. The officer says that either Molly must pay to have Dylan arrested or Dylan must pay to have Molly be ignored. Molly prefers to be a hostage and Dylan lacks the currency. When the police decide to arrest them both for filing a false report, Dylan uses his Force lance to defeat them in combat. Molly knocks another one out with the lense. Dylan chases off the final officer, and they run for the ship.
Back on board, they are working on repairs, and Molly thanks Dylan for rescuing her from the corrupt cops. Before they can complete the repairs, the Ogami attack again.
Rommie and Tyr confront Ferahr. He claims that he has not seen Dylan since Tyr was last there, but Rommie grabs Ferahr's hand, threatening to crush it, and informs him that she can detect if he is lying. Ferahr agrees to cooperate. He admits to seeing Dylan, but the Ogami show up again.
Trance brings Harper, who is still working on repairs, a Sparky Cola as a peace-offering, but Harper declines. He says that he does not know if he can trust her anymore, saying that he is starting to wonder if she is manipulating things, and maybe she is behind a lot of the problems they have had. Trance leaves, saying "I thought you were smart".
Tyr and Rommie fight the Ogami, but Ferahr is killed. Tyr seems genuinely upset about this.
Dylan and Molly take cover around the Volcanic Moon of a gas giant, hoping they will be harder to detect there. The regular, predictable volcanic eruptions on the moon were the highlight of Molly's tour. They use these eruptions to eliminate the Ogami by flying over the areas of eruption just before the eruption occurs, causing the pursuing Ogami to be destroyed. Unfortunately, a piece of debris from one of the ships damages them, forcing them to land. Dylan and Molly seem to be developing an attachment.
Tyr and Rommie are searching for Dylan. With the information about the parts that Dylan acquired from Ferahr, they know his slipstream drive was damaged, and also expect that they can identify a slip portal created by their ship. Rommie wonders why Tyr is so interested in helping Dylan, because she knows that he only does things that are in his own best interest; and, she wonders how he benefits from this. Tyr states that his and Dylan's agendas coincide in many parts, and do not significantly contradict each other. Rommie suggests that, perhaps, Tyr has grown to like Dylan, and they are becoming friends.
Dylan disables the Dataport piloting on the ship, so he can leave Molly behind in a life pod, and she can remain safe. Molly objects she says that she enjoys the excitement of flying, but does not have the connections to join the military or the Free Trade Alliance. So, piloting a tour ship was the best that she could do. Dylan protests that it is not safe, but Molly says that she does not want "safe". Dylan allows her to resume control of the ship.
Beka chastises Harper for not working with Trance. She acknowledges that the change is hard to deal with, but reminds him that Trance saved his life. She allows that he does not have to like her, but he has to work with her.
Dylan and Molly manage to get to slipstream, and Rommie, on the Maru, detects it. She and Tyr deduce that he must be headed for the nearest friendly system, Enkindu.
When Dylan and Molly arrive at Enkindu, they find the Ogami waiting. The Ogami attack and their ship are taking heavy damage. The engines are about to explode, and Dylan decides to use the explosion as cover, to make the Ogami think they have been destroyed.
The Maru enters the system, and Rommie hails Dylan. Dylan breaks the connection, not wanting to give the Ogami anything they can use to target him. Dylan's ship explodes, and the Ogami leave. Rommie is concerned for Dylan, but Dylan and Molly have used the cockpit breakaway charges to eject before the ship exploded. Unfortunately, the braking thrusters on the cockpit are not working, and they are plummeting towards the planet. Dylan calls Rommie (who is relieved to find that he is still alive) to get her to catch their ship with the Maru. Tyr yields the pilot seat to Rommie, as she has better timing and reflexes. She successfully rescues Dylan and Molly, and she and Tyr make their peace for now.
Back on the Andromeda, they have had no luck determining who hired the Ogami. Dylan has brought Molly on board, and Rommie seems somewhat jealous.
Harper starts to accept Trance.
While they are together in bed, Dylan gives Molly a Letter of Recommendation for the new High Guard Academy that has been set up on Mobius. However, he agrees to keep her on board for three weeks before dropping her off, so they can spend some time together.
Trivia
- Kristin Lehman received a Gemini Award nomination for this episode.
Memorable Quotes
Beka: Been there, done that; bought the T-shirt.
Rommie: Ooh, that explains your wardrobe!
Beka: Don't even start with me. I've seen what's in your closet.
Rommie: I would like just one day where I can build missiles and tweak fire-control in peace.
Beka: We definitely need to find you a hobby.
Rommie: That is my hobby!
Ferahr: It wasn't me, I swear!
Dylan: It wasn't you who did what?
Ferahr: What do you mean?
Dylan: I haven't even told you why I'm angry!
Ferahr: Then, why?
Dylan: Ogami mercenaries. Big, mean, and ugly. Who sent them?
Ferahr: Uh, lemme think, uh, I know It wasn't me, I swear!
Rommie: I can pick up galvanic-skin-responses and respiration-changes. I can also analyze pupil-dilations in real time, which makes me a walking lie-detector. So, tell me the truth, or I'll turn the bones of your hand into calcified-gelatin.
Ferahr: Absolutely! Absolutely!
Rommie: What do you know? He's not lying.
Molly: I haven't lost any [passengers] yet.
Dylan: I thought I was your first customer.
Molly: Good point.
Molly: Have you got a Plan B?
Dylan: I always have a Plan B come to think of it, you were Plan B.