2.03 Heart For Falsehood Framed
The crew of the Andromeda replaces a sacred relic with a fake, attempting to negotiate peace between two battling parties.
Episode Synopsis
While docked at Pierpont Drift, Dylan decides to lead negotiations between two parties, the Chichin of Pierpont Drift led by Doge Miskich and the Than, led by Clarion of Loss. Rommie is hesitant about the negotiations, as she does not trust the people of Pierpont Drift - a colony of thieves. At issue is the Hegemon's Heart, a sacred relic to the Than, stolen by the Chichin, now on display at a museum. Meanwhile, Beka and Harper take a look around, when a small alien named Beetle steals Beka's customs I.D. card. As Beka chases after Beetle, she is confronted by Leydon Bryce-Hawkins, and the two are instantly attracted to one another. Leydon reveals that he is the head of the Doge Miskich's security force, and warns that he is keeping an eye on all of them.
The negotiations begin between Miskich and Clarion of Loss. Dylan hopes to avoid a battle by successfully negotiating the return of the Hegemon's Heart to the Than. While the negotiations are underway, Harper makes a fake copy of the Hegemon's Heart. He, Trance and Beka work on a plan to sneak into the museum and replace the Hegemon's Heart with the fake. Beka and Harper go to the museum to stake out the security system, and Beka causes a distraction by facing one of the security cameras, telling Leydon to meet her in the Botanical Garden.
At the Botanical Garden, Beka runs into Tyr, who reveals that he has plans of his own. Beka and Leydon spend the evening flirting with one another as Beka reveals to Leydon that she knows who he really is - a thief known as "Schroedinger's Cat" who mysteriously disappeared. After confessing that he gave up being a thief, he kisses her. They are interrupted when Leydon receives a call that he has a situation to take care of. Before he leaves, he warns Beka that he will not allow them to rip off his museum. Beka kisses his palm and holds his hand to her face, secretly transferring a copy of his fingerprints onto a strip of monofilm she has on her cheek.
While the negotiations continue to fall apart with the Chichins and Thans, Harper uses the fingerprints and DNA to access the museum's central clock, bypassing security. Trance nimbly switches the Hegemon's Heart with the fake. Before she can completely get away, Dylan, Miskich and Clarion of Loss arrive to view the relic. Dylan spots Trance, and is able to distract the other two while Trance slips away. Meanwhile, Tyr meets with Beetle and learns that Beetle's contact is open to Tyr's mysterious proposition. Tyr informs Dylan that all is well with "Plan B," and that there will be a new player on the field tomorrow. However, they discover that the Clarion of Loss has now demanded the Heart be returned within twenty-four hours, or she'll attack.
Dylan informs Harper, Beka and Trance that they need to break into the museum again and replace the fake Heart with the real one. Before they do, Beka examines the Heart and discovers that it is a fake as well. Beka goes off to meet Leydon. The two end up returning to Leydon's place where they spend the night together. Early the next morning, as Leydon sleeps, Beka searches for the Heart, but is caught. He shows her video surveillance of Trance stealing the Heart from the day before, but surprises Beka by destroying the video evidence.
Later, while Beka and Harper discuss the surveillance, Beetle leads Tyr to his contact - Leydon. Tyr escapes from the armed security guards that Leydon brought with him. Leydon then goes back to the gardens and retrieves the real Heart he has hidden inside a venus flytrap plant. Beka, who observes him from behind a tree, catches him. He confesses that he stole the real Heart six months earlier, taking the security job as a means of getting his hands on the relic. He tempts Beka with a share of the money that the ransom for the Heart would bring. Beka tells him to meet her at the Maru in an hour.
Meanwhile, Dylan is upset to learn that the Than fleet is moving into attack position. Clarion of Loss tells Dylan that they have two hours before she orders them to open fire. On the Maru, Leydon lets Beka hold the real Heart. Tyr shows up and distracts Leydon long enough for Beka to switch the real Heart with a fake one. Tyr leads Leydon, now holding the fake Heart, away by gunpoint and takes him to Dylan, Miskich and Clarion of Loss. While Tyr explains to everyone that Leydon has the Heart in his possession, Beka secretly shines a light through the real Heart, revealing a treasure map, and quickly copies it. In the meantime, Clarion of Loss is reluctant to believe that the Heart is the real one. Leydon announces it's a fake, accusing Beka of being the real thief. Beka secretly switches the fake Heart, which Dylan holds, with the real one. Clarion of Loss examines the Heart and sees that it's the real thing. Later, Leydon and Beka confront each other, concluding that it's all been a game. She then sadly watches the Pierpont Orbital fade into the distance as the Andromeda takes off.
Synopsis from AndromedaTV
