03x01 - Being Better is So Much Harder

[bunniefuu]

Previously, on Dark Matter...

The summit on EOS7 will
come under att*ck,

and the result will be
allout corporate w*r.

It's a key that
allows someone to access

interdimension space time.

Use nonlethal force only.

I'll get the Blink Drive.

I just needed to cut you.

The poison that coats
my blade will do the rest.

Are you telling me
you want the w*r to happen?

My people are already at w*r.

Three, Five, Six,
if you can hear me,

get down to the Marauder.

Hey, come with me.

Two? Two!

Come on.

Where are the others?
Come on, we've gotta go!

We have to find them.

If we don't leave now,
we're not gonna make it.

No, we can't leave. Not yet.

Hey, hey! Look at me.

We have to go. Now.

Where have you been?

Negotiating our safe passage,
thank you very much.

I don't understand.
The android was the b*mb,

but he detonated offsite.

Well, all I know is
EOS7 was destroyed,

and now, we are
looking at corporate w*r.

Ferrous Corp. Has launched
a preemptive strike,

and all hell has broken loose.

So what does that mean for us?

Well, fortunately,
Mikkei remained neutral

at the council vote,
so neither side see us

as a direct thr*at... for now.

I have a Mikkei
cruiser en route,

but the closest friendly
in range is your Raza.

I have requested a comm link in
order to set up a rendezvous.

Wait, they know we're
gonna meet up with the Raza?

Yes.

And they're still
willing to help us?

Despite whatever disagreements
VolkovRusi may have had

with you and your crew
in the past...

If that's what
you call Two k*lling a dozen

of their soldiers.

w*r changes everything.

Now it's all about
new alliances.

Android!

Five, are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

We made it to an escape pod
and managed to jettison

before the station blew up.

Thanks to Commander Truffault.

We were picked up by
a VolkovRusi ship

that answered our distress
beacon, and they have agreed

to give us safe
transport to your ship.

We just need your coordinates.

Understood.

What about the rest of the crew?
Have you heard anything?

No. I lost contact with them

shortly before the expl*si*n.

Two, Three, Six.

They were all on the station.

Well, maybe they were able
to reach escape pods, too.

We couldn't have been
the only ones.

Perhaps.

We'll find them. I know we will.

Everyone's gonna be okay.

No, Five. I'm afraid
that's not true.

Shields are down.
We've lost navigation.

Try and get
the engines back online.

All right, I've managed
to stabilize our attitude

with thrusters, but primary
systems are inoperable.

So are sensors and comms.

Though I suppose
it could be worse.

Yeah, could be having this
conversation outside.

Think you can
pull off a miracle?

Sure, but I'll need
the right equipment

and about two days
to get it done.

I'd settle for just getting
comms back online

before the GA find us.

So what do you think?

Hey!

She was counting on me.

Don't do that.

Don't make her
a damsel in distress.

She's a hell of
a lot better than that.

She knew going on that
station would be a risk.

She thought it was worth it.

But we still failed,
and Ferrous Corp. Detonated

that b*mb anyway.

That wasn't a b*mb.

What are you saying?

That chain reaction
of explosions

could've only been caused by
the reactor core going critical.

Ferrous Corp.
Wasn't responsible.

It was Ryo Ishida.

Four?

No, why would he...?
He said as much to the Android

after stealing the Blink Drive.

Yeah, while we
were on the station,

he boarded the Raza and took it.

I could've stopped this
from happening.

I should've seen it coming.

He claimed he needed it to win
the w*r Zairon was fighting,

but I never thought
he'd go this far with it.

But sstill... no, no, why...
Why would he blow up

that station and k*ll
all those innocent people?

Because destroying the station
triggers a bigger conflict,

one that indirectly
weakens Zairon's enemies

by redirecting their
corporate backers.

How do you know this?

Because he told me.

And, like you, I didn't
believe he'd actually do it.

We've got to stop
thinking of him as our friend.

He stopped being that
the moment he downloaded.

Ryo Ishida's memories.

The Four we knew is gone.

Teku.

It's been far too long,
my old friend.

Ryo...?

Now Emperor Ishida Ryo
of Zairon.

Your stepmother?

She'll no longer be a thr*at
to you or anyone else.

And Hiro?

He'll no longer be
a thr*at either.

Your stepbrother was
too easily influenced,

but, at heart, a good man.

His death is unfortunate.

His death was regrettable...
but, ultimately, necessary.

I still have enemies
within the court,

but they've lost their
direct claim to the throne.

They're disorganized
and without purpose.

It's only a matter of time
before I uproot them.

And then what?

Have them take my place
here in this cell?

Why risk it?

Your years as a fugitive
have hardened you, Ryo.

I can see it.

What happened to the idealistic
young man I used to teach?

He's finally learned your
lessons in political ethics.

Now come, let's get you
out of here before you

make me change my mind.

Teku, I've missed you.

And I you, Ryo.

Welcome home.

Welcome back.

Still no word from the others?

None.

Well, we have to go back
and search for survivors.

I'd advise against that.

By now, the GA will be
all over that area.

Well, we can't just leave them.

We can't give up if there's
a chance they're still alive.

There were escape pods
all over that station.

I'll contact Mikkei Central
and have them divert

all available ships to the area.

If your friends have survived,
hopefully our ships

will find them first.

What was that?

We're under att*ck.

We've been doublecrossed?

No, the VolkovRusi ship

has been destroyed.

It's Ferrous Corp.

Why aren't we jumping?

Their first salvo
disabled our FTL engines.

It's always the
first thing they target.

That's their
attempt to disable our shield.

It appears the engines on
both ships have been disabled.

What about their shields?

Their shields are down.

So fire on them.
Finish them off.

Unfortunately,
our weapons are also down.

Their weapons seem
to be just fine, no?

As are our shields,
for the time being.

Wouldn't now be
a perfect time to use

that Blink Drive of yours?

It would be, if we still had it.

You gotta be kidding.

Anders. I thought you were dead.

I would've been if I hadn't
been wearing my flak vest.

The fall actually
did more damaging.

Hit the back of my head
and knocked me right out.

You have looked better.

What's the story?

I ran into some old friends.

It's more like they
ran into me, actually.

Repeatedly.

With their fists and feet.

Where are we?

What were you doing
on that station?

I was trying to stop a bombing.

Kal, was he with you?

Six.

Yeah, yeah...

Him and some of my crew.

What happened?

I'm sorry.

With our engines dead,
we're just another

cold piece of debris
to any ship sensors.

At least we have that.

And maybe... comms.

Yes.

Hey, we're receiving
a transmission.

It's the Marauder.

Come in, Raza,
this is the Marauder.

Come in.

Marauder, this is the Raza.
It's good to hear from you.

I'm with Six.
We managed to make it out

before the station exploded.
Any word from the others?

Anything from Five?

Yes,
Five also managed to escape.

Is she okay? Is she there?

I'm here, and I'm fine.

Commander Truffault and I
managed to make it

to an escape pod in time.

Truffault?

Yes.

Thank you. We owe you one.

This is one assist
I won't be calling favors on,

unless, of course,
you happen to have

a couple of FTL engines handy.

We don't have any
operational engines.

We need you to come
pick us up immediately.

Unfortunately,
Two, that's not possible.

The ship has been
damaged in a battle

with a Ferrous Corp. Destroyer,
and we're dead in space.

We're effecting repairs
as we speak,

but there's no telling when
we'll be jumpcapable.

Okay, well, do what you can.

We'll sit tight.

Have you heard from Three?

No, I'm afraid not.

You should know, I'm sorry, I...

Android, what is it?

Nyx. She's dead.

What? How?

I found her on the bridge.

I suspect she encountered
Ryo Ishida and tried to stop him

from taking the Blink Drive.

He k*lled her.

They're a determined bunch.

What was that?

The Ferrous Ship
has launched a shuttle.

It's headed straight for us.

What are you doing?

Trying to get this
generator up and running.

Temperature's already
starting to drop.

It's gonna get cold fast.

You should let me
take a look at it.

You can see fine from there.

I mean, let me help you.

I got it.

Seriously?

I got it.

Are you really gonna
be this stubborn?

Stubborn enough to keep
one of the galaxy's

most wanted
locked up? Hell yeah.

We should be working together.

Like you said, the
temperature's fallin' fast.

We're gonna be stuck here
for a little while.

See, that's where you're wrong.

I triggered the emergency
beacon during planet fall.

Someone will come for us...
sooner or later.

How far out are they?

They've just
breached the airlock.

They're on board.

Move, move.

They've breached containment.

Where's your nearest
weapons cache?

This way.

It's nothing to be
concerned about yet,

but we'll keep
a close eye on it.

How's Teku doing?

Fine.

I left instructions
with one of the guards

to prepare a guest room for him.

Good.

I assume he will be
staying a while?

Well, that's for him to decide.

I would assume that, as Emperor,
it would be up to you.

His presence in
the court concerns me.

Teku spent the last three years
locked up in a dungeon

because he was loyal to me.

With all due respect, Heika,
he was imprisoned because

he was disloyal to the throne.

Well, now they're all
one and the same,

so there can be no confusion.

Like your stepbrother,
Teku leads with his heart.

His interests may not
align with the court's.

Then I should take steps
to rectify that.

I'm not the bad guy.

Your outstanding warrant
would suggest otherwise.

Okay, I am a bad guy,
but I am not the bad guy.

We didn't blow up that station.

That was Ferrous Corp.

Why would they do that?

To weaken their
corporate rivals.

I guarantee you, out there,
there's gonna be allout w*r...

If it hasn't already started.

So you and the crew
of the Raza are, what,

defenders of the peace?

No, we're the bad guys,
but we're trying to stop

the bigger bad guys from
screwing things up for everyone.

You sound like Kal.

How well did you know him?

We've been friends
from... way back.

Trained at the academy together.

I was the best man...

So you knew him well enough
to know that he wouldn't have

thrown in with us
if we couldn't be trusted

to do the right thing.

Yeah, he took us down.
He turned us in.

But he also helped us escape
because he realized

that he'd made a mistake.

He realized, like you
said, there were bigger bads

out there than you.

You happen to be working
for one of the biggest.

I don't always agree
with our methods,

but the GA is a force
for law and order,

and that is something
I believe in.

Well, if I'm right, and we're
headed for corporate w*r,

law and order will be
the first thing to go.

Come on out, little girl.

We're not gonna hurt you...

much.

Back, back!

Coming at you.

Move, move!

Headed your way.

All clear.

Okay, check your weapons.

I need one body in
that hall drawing fire.

The rest of us are gonna circle
around and outflank them.

Take them by surprise.

Son of a...

I don't understand.

Why would he do it?

She must've tried to stop him,
and he k*lled her.

Simple as that.

But he cared for her.
I know he did.

Maybe before he got
his memories back.

Why would getting his
memories back change anything?

The time they spent together,
the relationship they built...

He couldn't have just forgotten.

I'm guessing his old memories
helped him put things

in a different perspective.
Made him reorder his priorities.

Like you said, we've gotta
stop thinking of him as Four.

But he told The Android,
had her warn us

that the station
was about to blow.

He didn't have to do that.

Part of him must still care.

Some small part, sure,
but not enough to stop him

from destroying that station,
k*lling all those people...

and k*lling Nyx.

What was that?

Six.

Life support.

It just shut down.

Marauder, hey.

Tried to reach you earlier.

Yeah, we were...
dealing with a few issues.

How close are
you to getting those

engines back online?
I'm not sure.

We're still working on it.

We're running out of time here.

I know, we're...
Life support took a hit.

Oxygen is running out.
We've got maybe 40 minutes left.

We'll come get you before
that happens, I promise.

All right, keep us updated.

Better go grab that
oxygen t*nk in the back.

What the hell?

Two, what's going on?!

Two?

I'm transferring most
of the remaining oxygen

to your section.

That and the t*nk
should keep you alive

long enough for them
to get here.

What about you?

Counting on my nanites.

We know for a fact
that I can last at least

30 minutes without oxygen.

And what happens after that?

You're still flesh and blood.

You can't last forever
without oxygen.

I don't need forever.

You don't get to make this call!

Yeah, actually, I do.

YYou think I don't
know what's going on?

You're blaming yourself for
what happened on the station,

what happened to Nyx.

But you're wrong,
and trading your life for mine

isn't gonna make things right.

Two, talk to me.

Two, talk to me!

I think the cavalry's here.

Sit tight.

I'll try not to wander off.

Come on...

Shh...

You still awake?

Yeah.

Just wanted to say you'll
never know how truly sorry I am.

For what?

Betraying you.
Turning you all in.

AAAt the time...

At the time,

it seemed like you were
doing the right thing.

Or so I thought.

I guess we both learned that...

doing the right thing...

isn't always
the right thing to do.

Bringing you in
was wrong, but...

Trying to stop the b*mb,
trying to stop a w*r...

was just asking for trouble,

even if we had succeeded.

We try to forget,
but... the truth is,

who we were influences
every decision we make.

Ever since we came out of
stasis, we've been fighting

against our pasts.

No matter what the odds,
we've been trying to be better,

and... we keep failing.

No.

As long as we keep trying,
we know we're better.

That's all that matters.

Sure, it'd be easier
to be the bad guy,

to not give a damn, but...

That's not who we are.

Not anymore.

The shields are weakening.

How's it coming along?

I think this is gonna work.

I'm gonna get the
engines up in time.

Unfortunately, Five,

I'm afraid that's unlikely.

The successive volleys from
the Ferrous Corp. Destroyer

have taken their toll.

I estimate total shield failure
in less than 20 minutes.

Hey, I thought
I'd lost you there.

I have an idea,

but I will need your help
to set up a neural link

with the Ferrous Corp.
Shuttle that's currently

docked with the ship.

Okay.

You're dead.

I am.

I'm sorry...

For what?

You can't seriously
blame yourself

for what happened to me.

On that very first day
when we came out of stasis,

I took command.

And the crew let me because
they had faith in me.

They trusted me
to look after them.

And you did.

Not well enough...

for One or for you.

You can get off me now.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

What the hell was that thing?

Security drone.

I'm guessing it wasn't
properly shut down

after they closed this place up.

Okay, I've got a plan.

Let's hear it. Give me your g*n.

I don't think so.
Are you kidding me?

You've got two.
You can barely hold onto one,

let alone sh**t.

I can sh**t just fine.

Yeah, it's aiming
that's the problem.

Come on, man.
I just saved your life.

You owe me one.
And I saved your life

back in that station.
We're even.

Seriously?

Man...

I give you the g*n,
I have your word

you'll give it back to me
the second this is over.

Yeah, sure.

I don't believe you.

Just give me the g*dd*mn g*n.
Ouch, ouch...!

You can second guess
yourself all you want,

but the reality is,
you and the crew of the Raza

lead dangerous lives.

If I'd just let the GA
deal with the corporations

instead of risking my crew...

Who was I to think
that we should be the ones

to change things?

Just because you failed doesn't
mean it wasn't right to try.

The old Portia wouldn't have,

but you're different.

You're a better person.

Being better is so much harder.

You're not even real.

Then a part of you knows
that what I'm saying is true.

You're not perfect,
but you're the best sh*t

our friends have at survival.

So if I already know all this,
why are you here?

Why else?

To say goodbye.

Come on, come on.

The destroyer
is hailing the shuttle.

Ignore them.

They're threatening
to open fire.

Is it close enough yet?

Not yet.

Red Team One, I repeat:

This is your final warning.

Requesting ident code.

They're opening fire.

How much closer?

Almost within range.

Setting drives to go critical

in 3...

2...

1.

Target destroyed.

Nice work.

Come on.

Why you looking at me?
How's that my fault?

You couldn't taken
the sh*t two seconds earlier?

I wanted to make sure.

Can I have my g*n back?

Yeah.

This is the Galactic Authority.

Come forward
and identify yourselves.

What's it gonna be?

This is the Galactic Authority.

Come forward and...

Lieutenant John Anders,

Galactic Authority,
Serious Crimes Division.

I came down in an escape pod
after the destruction of EOS7.

We heard weapons fire.

Yeah. Yeah, facility's
security drone was still active.

I had to take it out.

Are you alone?

Yeah. Yeah, it's just me.

I'm sorry we didn't have more
time to get to know each other.

Me, too.

I'm gonna miss you.

They're not gonna make it.

Goodbye.

Fonsei Teku,
you stand before us,

a free man for the
first time in many years.

As Emperor, I offer you
a life far from the politics

and gamesmanship
of the royal court,

a home in the countryside,
and a considerable stipend

that will allow you to
live out your retirement

in quiet retreat.

What say you, Teku?

You are most generous, Heika.

But, in order to
receive these gifts,

you must publicly recant.

Do you renounce your actions
against the throne?

No, I do not.

I am, and have always been,

loyal to Zairon's rightful ruler
and his father before him.

Not a... duplicitous Empress,

not a pretender to the throne.

Now and forever,
only Emperor Ishida Ryo.

Well, you refusal
to renounce your crimes

have cost you my offer.

So be it.

So, instead,
I'll make you another:

A position in this court...

as my royal advisor.

What say you, Teku?

I... accept this great honor
and vow to serve you

and the court to
the best of my abilities,

to my dying breath.

Five told me
I would find you here.

I wanted to grab a final cup

before we rendezvous
with my ship.

It's amazing, really.
Your android makes better coffee

than anyone I know.

You should come by for her
Spaghetti Saturdays.

Love to, but it looks like

I'm going to be rather busy
for the foreseeable future.

So what do you think?

Which side of this corporate w*r
is Mikkei going to fall on?

Well... if we side with
Ferrous Corp.'s enemies,

we risk inciting the wrath
of a very powerful opponent

with no guarantee of victory.

On the other hand,
if we back Ferrous Corp.,

once the other corporations
have been defeated,

we know it'll only be
a matter of time

before they come after us.

So?

So... we wait.

Continue to maintain
a neutral position

and try not to get
drawn into the conflict.

And how long do you
think that'll last?

Ideally, long enough until
both sides are so weakened

b*ating the sh*t
out of each other

we can just swoop in
and clear the table.

Spoken like a true opportunist.

Well, you do what's
in the best interest

of those you serve.

Even if what you do
is morally questionable.

Especially if what you do

is morally questionable.

It's easy to lead
in the good times,

much harder to do so in the bad.

You suffer losses and begin
to question past decisions...

And that's all right...
But, as a Commander,

you can't let the
responsibilities you bear

weigh you down,
because, if you do,

you will never move forward.

Yeah, well, that's
easier said than done.

Especially when the
costs are personal.

The costs are always personal.

Two, we've just
received a coded transmission.

Is that my ship?

No.

Patch it through to the mess.

Yes, Two.

Raza, this is
Lieutenant John Anders

of the Galactic Authority.

How did you acquire
our comm signature?

I got it from a friend of yours.

He could use a lift.
I'm sending you his coordinates.

It's chaos out there.

GA's gonna be spread thin.

I say we take advantage,
hit a few places.

And I'm okay with that,
but I think raiding and robbing

should be a means to
an end, not the end itself.

Like you said,
we hit a few places.

We stock up... food,
weapons, whatever,

but then we go
after Ferrous Corp.

Put a crimp in their plans
for galactic domination.

Without the Blink Drive?

We don't need the Blink
Drive to make a difference here.

It's not our fight, man.

If Ferrous Corp.
Takes out the other corps,

you can be damn sure they'll
eventually make it our fight.

I made a casserole using some
of the fresh vegetables

we picked up on Corvus8.

We'll have allies out there...
Rebels, the outer colonies,

anyone who's ever been
wronged by the corporations.

This is... really good.

Thank you.

The secret ingredient is basil.

Then love.

But mostly basil.

Hey, sorry I'm late.

Nice apron.

Thank you.

I picked it up on our
last station stopover,

along with new boots
and a wholly impractical

but simply adorable hat.

Where are you off to?

Well, I was gonna
go eat in my quarters.

I've got stuff to do.

You're the one who keeps
saying we're family.

Family eats together.

Hey.

Yeah?

All right.

So, what about you?

What do you think
we should do next?

Simple.

First, we take back
the Blink Drive.

Then, we k*ll Ryo Ishida.

Sarah.

It's me, Five.

Welcome back.