1.09 A Rose in the Ashes
With their communication with the crew of the Eureka Maru completely cut off, Dylan and Rommie are forced into exile on a prison planet and must befriend fellow inmates to attempt any escape.
Episode Synopsis
Dylan and Rommie, Andromeda's humanoid body, visit the planet Arazia in hopes of the Tribunal Council signing Dylan's new Constitution that will unite the 50 planets and restore the Systems Commonwealth. Councilor Min, a member of the tribunal of humanoid councilors, bitterly reminds Dylan that there were 300 years of invasions, famine and war that occurred while Dylan slept in suspended animation. The tribunal refuse to join the Commonwealth, and in turn find Dylan guilty of sedition and sentence him to life in prison. Back at the Andromeda, the crew is getting worried. Rommie's signal was lost when she and Dylan entered the Council Chamber and there has been no contact on either side since.
Outfitted in a prison work suit and shackles, Dylan is being introduced to his new surroundings. The food distribution center is a zoo of ruffian Inmates, those who have committed a crime and are sent to prison for reform, and meek Outsiders, the peaceful inhabitants of the planet. He surveys the area, trying to locate Rommie, and is attacked by a band of Inmate thugs who take his food disc, the card that rations prison meals. Kae-Lee, the leader of the group, informs Dylan that in order to get his food disc back he must fight Xax, an 8 foot tall genetically engineered monster. Knowing he is no match for Xax's strength, Dylan outsmarts him, winning the battle and the respect of the thugs. After dinner, a curtain is pulled to expose a caged and bound Rommie. Dylan activates an implanted microphone/receiver that allows him to communicate subvocally with Rommie. He discovers that she is unable to access any of her data, and without maintenance and power she will inevitably fall apart. Much time has passed and the Andromeda crew definitely knows something is wrong. As they descend upon Arazia they are met by missile fire and promptly turn around.
Back at the center, Jessa, a human prodigy Outsider who keeps to herself, is given endless flack by Xax and his band of moronic thugs. When Dylan tries to stick up for Jessa she makes it abundantly clear she can take care of herself, and Xax makes it clear that Dylan should stay away from her. Suddenly the compound erupts into chaos -- it is under attack. Dylan can barely see through the haze of smoke bombs when Jessa grabs him and offers him help. Refusing to leave without Rommie, Dylan and Jessa "bomb" Rommie's guards with a giant sparkler. Diverted by the explosion, Dylan battles the guards as Jessa picks the cage lock and frees Rommie. The three flee to the Outsiders camp, where they are safe in Jessa's bunker.
Now that Jessa has helped Dylan, she wants his help in overthrowing the Inmates. Dylan explains that he is a peacemaker and can't agree to any acts of violence, and instead offers to help her escape. Jessa explains that the whole planet has been engineered to keep its occupants completely dependent on the prison. Though there is greenery and soil, nothing will grow and none of the plants are edible. In addition, the sky is lit with the glow of the planet's automated defense system, a destructive force field. To demonstrate, Jessa throws an ornithopter, a weapon she created, into the shield which immediately explodes.
Trance finds out through a classified transmission that Dylan and Rommie were sent to a prison colony somewhere off Arazia, and the crew begins a search for their lost Captain. With no leads, and no idea how to find Dylan and Rommie, Trance picks the prettiest planet she can see, a bright glowing one.
The android, Warden, finds a piece of the ornithopter, whose manufacturing and technology are illegal, and questions Kae-Lee. Knowing very well it came from Jessa, Kae-Lee denies any knowledge of the instrument even when Warden threatens her with death. Dylan and Jessa combine forces and begin work on a battery to restore Rommie's power. They are interrupted by a commotion outside as robot prison guards come straight for them. Unarmed, Dylan is no match, and the guards capture Jessa. Rommie takes matters into her own hands and connects herself to the nearly completed battery.
As they close in on the planet, Harper gets a faint locator beacon from Rommie. Apparently, Trance's methods of decision worked. There is a lot of static, and the crew can't hear Dylan and Rommie's warnings to abort mission. The crew boards the Eureka Maru and attempts to land on the planet, getting closer to the barrier; still unaware of the destructive force field that awaits them. Dylan nears the Warden's chamber, and is stopped by Kae-Lee. He convinces her to join him in his fight to save Jessa, and exposes Kae-Lee's secret that Jessa is her sister. Kae-Lee is killed by the Warden for trying to help Jessa, and Dylan is narrowly saved by Rommie, who manipulates the control panels to set Jessa free and annihilate the Warden. By the time the crew realizes their fate, it is too late to turn around. Dylan plays with the control panel and deactivates the defense system just in time to save his ship and crew. Jessa graciously refuses Dylan's offer to come with them and decides to stay at the prison and use her intellect to unite the Inmates and Outsiders.
Synopsis from AndromedaTV
