1.17 Fear And Loathing In The Milky Way
Trance, Harper and their former employer Gerentex are unwilling partners on a wild ride to find a valuable artifact.
Episode Synopsis
Harper and Trance Gemini encounter their former Nightsider employer, Gerentex, on the Eureka Maru. Gerentex demands that they take him to an appointment he must keep. Suddenly, an alien named Reaper pounds on the door and announces that he is looking for Gerentex. When Gerentex tells Harper that they must leave or Reaper will kill all three of them, Harper reluctantly speeds away from the alien.
Meanwhile, Beka and Rommie discuss that Dylan’s four year anniversary aboard the Andromeda is approaching, which would normally signal the time when he would turn command over to his executive officer, Rhade. Since Rhade turned on Dylan and tried to kill him, Dylan is naturally upset.
On the Maru, Gerentex cannot contain his surprise that Trance is not dead, like he believed. He keeps Harper and Trance held at gunpoint and tries to come up with a game plan. In an attempt to save himself, Harper says that the Maru’s power generators are keyed to his life-signs. If Harper dies, the generators overload and explode. Gerentex decides it isn’t worth the risk and takes his word. As an alternative, he shoots Harper with a microscopic generator that puts out an electrical charge and then shocks him to prove he is telling the truth. Gerentex says that losing the Andromeda put him in serious debt. He had planned to retrieve the Andromeda, deliver her to his buyer, and auction off the nova bombs to the highest bidder. (See Episode #101) He was on the verge of another possible big score when he ran into Harper and Trance.
Back on the Andromeda, Dylan and Beka discuss that the Perseids on Sinti Four are contemplating backing out of the New Commonwealth. Dylan doubts his abilities as a statesman and wonders how he can convince them to stay.
Elsewhere, Gerentex and Harper have a power struggle on the Maru and Trance tries to break through to Gerentex with kindness and sympathy. They start to share a moment, but it ends as quickly as it began. Harper takes advantage of the situation to turn the Maru sharply to one side, causing Gerentex to drop his remote.
Reaper continues to follow the Maru, and Gerentex suggests a way to escape: Harper can aim the Maru straight at Reaper, forcing him out of the way. The two ships play a game of "chicken", going directly at each other. Reaper’s ship swerves at the last minute and allows the Maru to enter a slipstream portal.
The Maru approaches the Albuquerque Drift, which looks like a run-down version of the Las Vegas strip in space. Trance and Harper approach a cyborg pirate named Andulasia to trade the information Gerentex requested for money. She announces that the amount agreed upon is no longer acceptable. Trance begins to gamble and wins ten rolls in a row, leaving the table only when Harper drags her away. Trance offers the newly won money to Andulasia, who agrees on the amount. Without warning, Reaper begins shooting at the twosome from the other end of the casino. They barely escape into the airlock of the Maru, where Gerentex manages to get Harper’s gun and take control of the situation once again. Trance tries the sympathy routine once again and attempts to grab Gerentex’s gun with her tail, but without success.
Gerentex, Harper and Trance follow the route to Hasturi’s diary and realize that he was intensely paranoid. As they follow his path, they encounter laser and flame-jet traps. Harper gets frustrated and starts to set off on his own, but returns when a hail of bullets comes his way. Reaper and thugs from the casino start chasing the threesome. Harper uses the pressurization of the walls to get rid of the enemies.
Trance finds the journal first, causing Harper and Gerentex to begin a shooting match. They end up on the floor with guns pointed at each other’s heads in a stand-off, neither willing to make the first move. Trance exclaims that if they don’t grow up, she will kill them both and be able to explain it away because she’s cute. Trance and Harper end up with the diary, but Trance gives Gerentex a pair of Tundra flowers as a gift. Gerentex realizes that if he can get the flowers to reproduce he can repay his debts and is touched by Trance’s kindness.
Synopsis from AndromedaTV
