1.15 Forced Perspective
Dylan is taken captive and forced to admit that he killed the Mobius leader and overthrew the Mobius government more than 300 years ago.
Episode Synopsis
While Trance and Dylan set out in search of an AP Solenoid Valve for a stagnant Andromeda Ascendant, Dylan is taken captive by a group of commandos who bring him to Mobius to stand trial for a crime he committed in the past. Captured, he is interrogated by a young female lawyer. Dylan is forced to recall a mission he accepted when he was a commander - extraditing Chancellor Ferrin to Tarn-Vedra, where he would stand trial for his invasion of Zhang-Bristol Four.
Upon returning to the Maru, Trance realizes Dylan is missing. She sees Tazer burn marks on the cockpit walls and discovers a strange button belonging to one of the commandos. Trance cross-references the button with the Maru's computer archives, which reveal an image of an architect's compass.
On Mobius, Dylan is beaten and jailed. The wall of his cell displays a poster of a compass and reads, "The Great Compass Measures All." The lawyer insists Dylan admit to assassinating their leader and overthrowing his government. Dylan recalls when he and Officer Rhade first set out on the top secret mission on which Venetri, Ferrin's gifted architect, helped to guide the two of them to the leader 's secret headquarters under the pretext they were going to remove him peacefully.
Back in his cell, Dylan is further subjected to torture. The lawyer allows a visitor to enter, Venetri, still alive after 300 years. The lawyer introduces him as the Great Compass, the Supreme Leader, Ruler of the Sovereign System of Mobius.
Venetri admits to having found out Dylan's true identity, Captain of the High Guard, and claims he performed the mission only to defend the Commonwealth's interests. To further prove his point, he shows a surveillance film of Dylan and Rhade while they were on the mission. The film reveals Dylan killing one of Ferrin's guards, and Ferrin himself, in self-defense.
Back in his cell, Dylan is surprised by Trance who has located him with the help of the Maru's computer. Dylan, however, refuses to leave Mobius, claiming that he must first right a wrong he committed. Trance complies, and the two set out to find Venetri, but wind up in a chamber filled with lobotomized Venetri clones. Dylan figures this is the method by which Venetri stayed alive for 300 years, by cloning himself.
Recalling the original mission, Dylan realizes he and Trance are standing before the same entrance that led to Ferrin's chambers more than 300 years ago. Dylan loads his weapon, knowing he could be faced with a brutal confrontation. Trance tries to stop him, but Dylan is adamant about stopping Venetri's control over the inhabitants of Mobius. Meanwhile, Venetri is hiding in his secret chambers, surrounded by his beloved architectural models, paralyzed by fear.
Dylan and Trance enter. Dylan points his gun at a frightened Venetri, who accuses Dylan of lying about taking Ferrin to trial and about killing the guards. When Venetri was installed to oversee free elections on Mobius, the Commonwealth was supposed to back him up, but instead, it collapsed. Because of Dylan's "lies," Venetri became a corrupt leader just like Ferrin. Without the Commonwealth, it was up to him to fight off assassins, coup attempts and terrorist attacks. Dylan, on the other hand, was recognized for leading a successful mission and was made Captain. What Venetri does not know is that Dylan was reluctant in accepting the prestigious title because lives were lost as a result of the "heroic" mission. Dylan unfortunately was ordered by his Commonwealth superiors to accept his next mission, thereby automatically pushing him up to the rank of Captain.
Ashamed, Dylan agrees that he gained prestige as a result of the devastating mission. Venetri asks Dylan to go ahead and pull the trigger, just like he did with Ferrin. Dylan refuses, and tells him he would like to offer him another chance. Trance chimes in, and mentions the fact the Halcyon System is looking for architects since they recently had an infusion of capital. Dylan reminds Venetri what a gifted architect he once was, and how he had had great intentions. Venetri takes the offer into consideration.
Trance and Dylan return to the Andromeda. Harper installs the new AP Valve, and the airship gracefully sets sail into the depths of space once again.
Synopsis from AndromedaTV
