Supernova

Benjamin.

Benjamin?

- What's wrong?|- Nothing's wrong.

- Then why did you wake me?|- l was running a test.

But we didn't schedule any tests.

l was running a test|to perform an unscheduled test.

- What? Why?|- Please. Be more specific, Benjamin.

Why did you want to wake me|and perform an unscheduled test?

Wanting is a human emotion,|and not within my capability.

- I know that.|- Benjamin.

Can we play chess now?

Tom and Jerry:
catharsis and cathexis.

AJ Marley. Dissertation|for doctorate - anthropology.

Begin recording, captain.

This animated animosity regularly served|as a collective catharsis for the masses.

When violent animation|was banned by statutory law

at the beginning of the 21st century,

the subsequent idealised and|seemingly benign cartoon creatures

unharnessed a human malevolence,|and a reverse social polarity was...

Would you like some music|before we begin, Copilot Vanzant?

- Whatever you like.|- How's this, Copilot Vanzant?

Confirming identity and status.

Age:
32. Release from Hazen|rehabilitation: six months.

Pilot's licence restored.

Work probation:
|deep space rescue and recovery.

Reflex quotient:
1.5. Stress limit: minus 4.

You'll have to work on|those numbers, Nick.

- Neuroscan's fine.|- Good.

- What happened to your robot?|- Nothing.

Really? Hope "nothing"|doesn't happen to me.

The captain's big on|20th century cultural artefacts,

so we did him up as|a World War One fighter pilot.

We do things like that just to amuse each|other. Everyone tries to get along here.

- I get along fine.|- You've been on board 12 days.

Asking about a robot's the first sign of|interest you've shown in this ship or crew.

- I got a captain who watches cartoons,...|- He's working on his PhD.

..a computer tech|who calls his mainframe Sweetie

and two medical techs practising|anatomy in any corner they can find.

I've been on six paramedic tours|with this crew. They get the job done.

We're out here for months.|Nothing happens.

People get lonely.

Then suddenly all hell breaks loose,|you do your job,

then it all goes back to nothing happens.|This crew's OK.

Want to tell me|what you're doing out here?

Ex-military pilots don't usually request|work probation on paramedic ships.

I like deep space. It's quiet.

People out here tend to|respect each other's privacy.

Take one a day.|You can put your shirt on.

Zyracon, huh?

Happy pills.

I'm happy.

Hazen's a tough drug to kick.

Zyracon helps with the residual effects.

- I'm clean.|- Human interaction helps too.

The crew's OK.

Maybe you should take the time|to get to know them.

Thank you, doctor.

My analysis ofcards played shows|a 77% chance ofyou losing, Benjamin.

Five miles of fibre optics

sort of spoils the spirit of competition,|don't you think, Sweetie?

Gin.

When I reprogrammed her for this tour,

I put some human traits|into her personality profile.

I sort of wanted them to find out|because it'd really piss them off.

But if they ever do,

I'm dead.

I'm assuming you're not|gonna turn me in...

You don't know me well enough|to make that assumption.

Your deal.

My analysis ofCopilot Vanzant's vital|signs suggests a very high probability

that he will turn you in, Benjamin.

I'm not gonna turn you in.

The laserpulse is focused into|a surgical-quality beam

capable ofthe mostprecise incisions.

- Hello, doctor. Mind if I sit down?|- What if I do?

- Following orders - get to know the crew.|- So, the Zyracon worked.

I act nice and you want the credit?

You act nice,|modern medicine gets the credit.

I've found staying clean is sort of like|staying alive. You either are...

or you aren't.|Count them. They're all there.

Since we don't bring out|the pleasant side in each other,

tell me what the hell|bothers you so much about me.

I don't like Hazen.

It's not just a type-H mind-altering escape.

I don't like what it does to people who|take it, I don't like what they do to others.

- I used to know someone...|- I'm not someone.

Didn't say you were.

There's nothing I can do|to change the past, yours or mine.

Heal thyself, doctor.

Emergency distress signal received.

- We're still in business!|- Nothing like being wanted.

I'll be in the engine room.

I've forgotten everything.|What's my job? What do I do?

- Come on.|- It's been that long.

Emergency distress signal received.

Bridge.

Check.

Medical.

Check.

What have we got?

Signal received.

SOS, critical.

The signal's degraded.|It's taken five days to get here.

Dispatch misrouted it?

This isn't from dispatch. It's a direct call.

Direct? We don't get direct. Origin?

Pohl 6822.

I'm getting a little more.

Call letters for a merchant enterprise.

It's Titan 37.

It's a mining operation.

This is way past the colony outpost.

Sweetie, pull up all records|on Titan 37, Pohl 6822.

Titan 37:
lunarmining operation.

This moon was expelled from orbit|around its original starsystem

- and is now classified as a rogue body.|- Rogue moon.

There's a lot of gravitational|instability in that sector.

Mining operation was abandoned

when rogue moon drifted|into unmapped space.

Complete crew evacuation|five years, three months ago.

An SOS from an abandoned mine?

Distance to distress call location:|3,432 light years.

If we wanna answer this call|in our lifetimes we'll have to jump.

We haven't jumped in three tours.

I'm not jumping this crew|for anything uncertain.

I want a name with some authority.

If there is none, this is a no-go.

Scanning foridentification.

Transmission signature:|Karl James Larson.

Karl.

Karl Larson!

You know him?

Worst nightmare I ever met.

Mr Vanzant, plot us a course, please.

Yes, sir.

Dimension drive fully charged.

Call it, Sweetie.

All crew, prepare forrescue operation|via dimensionjump.

You go on ahead.

Course?

Plotted.

Dimensional stabilisation chamber|now sterilising.

- Maybe this Karl guy's just coincidence.|- With Karl, nothing's coincidence.

Last time we did this|I didn't sh*t right for a month.

You're gonna be fine.

This guy panicked during countdown|and he jumped out of his DSU.

So this other guy|pulls him into his with him, right?

Countdown goes off and they have to|D-jump like that. I'm not kidding!

Afterwards they go to pull 'em out...|and it's one guy.

14 feet long with a head on each end!

And then suddenly the heads start talking.

And both of them go, "Are we there yet?"

- That's not funny.|- It's kinda funny.

It's not.

Two minutes to|dimensionjump activation.

One minute to dimensionjump activation.

All crew, enter dimensional|stabilisation units at this time.

Research says D-jump is great|for your sexual stamina.

- Hallelujah!|- You know, you're gonna get it!

I am?

Kaela.

- I need to talk to you.|- When we get there. Use mine.

- I'll use number four. Now.|- Why?

No time.

- Call it musical chairs.|- Be my guest!

30 seconds to dimensionjump activation.

All crew, enter dimensional|stabilisation units at this time.

All crew, enter dimensional|stabilisation units at this time.

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